Silver Twilight
by Princess of Wands
Summary: Usagi and her friends suspect Lord Ahriman has returned when a series of attacks are focused on the American exchange student living with her family. Who is she, and why is she so important to him? Sequel to Secret Destiny.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Time present and time past  
Are both perhaps present in time future  
And time future contained in time past.  
-T.S Eliot

Panting slightly, Mamoru rounded the last corner and collapsed against the edge of the stone fountain. He checked his watch: 12:17. If she was here, she was going to be furious… But a quick glance around showed him that his girlfriend was nowhere in sight, a confirmation that made him smile. One of the best things about going places with Usagi was that no matter how late he was, she was always later. Well, he had time to relax, then. He slowly turned and sat on the cool stone edge, reflecting on the morning's events and how had nearly missed coming altogether.

It had been his idea to come to the art museum. Even without the recent newspaper article about the museum's curious new acquisitions, he had been meaning to take Usagi there for a while. She was always prattling on about how she wanted to do more cultural things with him, even though most of the time when they did he was the one excited while she feigned interest. But it didn't matter. It wasn't going to be like that today. These paintings, he had been told, were very special. So they had made a date to meet there at noon.

However, he had been quite surprised when he opened his eyes that morning to see the harsh, glowing red numbers on his clock that sent his heart flip-flopping. It was 11:25. He had done the unthinkable - something he _never_ did - and slept in. With this horrible realization, Mamoru had just enough time to leap out of bed, throw on some clothes, demand to a bemused Nick why he hadn't waken him earlier, grab a bagel and run out the door. He had run nearly all the way, except for the brief ride on the subway, and now, resting in front of the museum, he found it oddly amusing that all his effort had been unnecessary. Of course Usagi was late. He should have known.

He had to wait an additional fifteen minutes for her to show up, also running with her long blonde hair streaming behind her. "I'm so sorry!" she squeaked when she noticed him sitting there. "You see, there was this thing, and I couldn't come because…"

"Relax," he interrupted with a welcome smile. "I'm not your teacher, don't bother." It would have been hypocritical to scold her when he had been late himself, after all. And Usagi, seeing that he wasn't angry, immediately dropped the issue, and they entered the museum together in silence.

"What did you want me to see?" Usagi asked in a small voice as they stood in line for tickets, a little ashamed for forgetting.

"The ancient paintings," Mamoru said, excitement entering his voice. "They're supposed to be very impressive."

From the look on her face, he knew she would rather be playing video games than looking at what she might consider old junk, but she said nothing as he spoke with the smiling lady at the desk, who handed him two tickets and pointed out a group of people waiting for the next tour to start. Mamoru nudged Usagi and she followed him obediently, her eyes looking from side to side with slight apprehension. He hoped she wouldn't be too bored, and vowed to make it up to her later with dinner.

The tour started, taking them through all the ages of the world. They saw rooms full of traditional Japanese and Chinese works, with large paintings, scrolls and beautiful vases. They passed a room full of classical sculptures and bead fragments from the Ancient Mediterranean. They listened politely to the tour guide's smiling accounts of the Italian Renaissance, the Impressionists and Van Gogh's infamous ear. They gaped and blushed at what some people considered Modern Art. And although Mamoru hung on the guide's every word, whenever he looked at Usagi, he saw her nodding absently, her mind clearly not focused on El Greco or Cubism.

"And now we approach our newest collection," the tour guide announced proudly an hour and a half later. They were standing before the final room, and Mamoru noticed many in the tour group perk up at her words. He himself straightened and watched her intently.

"These paintings were discovered deep underground in the Tokyo area only months ago, and have sparked one of the largest controversies of modern archaeology. You may have heard some of the debates. Carbon dating has allowed us to estimate their age to be around 10,000 years, but as you shall see, these paintings seem far too advanced for any known peoples of the time. One of the less scientific theories is that we've finally found proof of the fallen Atlantis."

She paused and smiled indulgently while several people chuckled, before clearing her throat and beginning again. "If the dating proves to be accurate, and there are many who claim it cannot possibly be, then we have discovered a civilization that predates even ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. It does seem questionable, for we do not know how these works of art were created. As you shall see, they are advanced beyond anything we have seen in the ancient world. Maybe their true origin will always remain a mystery."

Intrigued, Mamoru glanced at Usagi. She didn't appear to be listening and was examining a crack in the wooden floor. He sighed and looked back at the guide.

"We have the best part of the collection here in Tokyo, but some of these paintings have been shipped to museums all over the world, including the Louvre in Paris and the Met in New York. It's really very exciting. No photographs please. If you wish, you may purchase copies in the gift shop downstairs. Now, please follow me."

The guide pushed the double doors open and stepped aside with a grin while the crowd wandered inside. Mamoru looked at Usagi once more, finding her fairly unimpressed, and motioned gallantly for her to go ahead of him. He wished she would look a little more excited, for his sake if nothing else. But as she entered, he heard her astonished gasp and smiled, pleased that something had finally gotten under her uncultured skin. He didn't expect that he, too, would whiten and stare in disbelief as he entered the room. For the walls, far from all that was implied by the word 'ancient,' were plastered with lifelike paintings of _them_.

Usagi gripped his hand as they went farther inside. 'Paintings' was hardly the word to describe them. They looked more like snapshots of friends taken on a hot summer day. The figures peering down at them were so alive-looking that they seemed ready to step off the canvases into the room.

"Wow," Usagi breathed in amazement, and Mamoru agreed. Before them was a forbidden window into their past. The scenery was a beautiful garden, full of roses and lilies in every color imaginable, with a blue, cloudless sky hanging overhead. Prince Endymion and Princess Serenity were posing in many of them, in both silly and serious shots, along with a girl they didn't recognize and, even more incredibly…

"Nick," Mamoru breathed in disbelief. He and Usagi exchanged a glance.

"That settles it," Usagi said in a tight voice. She was frowning at one that featured Nick alone, kneeling and laughing, the sun reflecting off his dark hair. "He was part of our past. Remember how Averill and Kai both hinted about that? I wonder what happened to him. It must have been awful, otherwise they wouldn't have tried so hard to keep it from us."

Mamoru looked at her with surprise. That had been a good observation. Usagi was surprising him more and more lately, as if her ditzy childhood phase was finally wearing off. She wasn't at all what she seemed on the surface. Certainly the events of that spring had had a lot to do with her growing up.

He turned his mind back to the images. They were all of excellent quality, as clear as any modern photograph. There was one of Princess Serenity leaning against an ivy-covered wall, looking very pretty; another with her perched on Nick's lap, the two of them laughing together with an unhappy Prince Endymion in the background ("That hasn't changed," Mamoru muttered darkly); a couple with Princess Serenity and the mysterious girl holding hands; one with Prince Endymion and Nick leaning against each other ("I should be screaming, not smiling," Mamoru said); more with all four and several with Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion, each looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"This must have been before… you know," Mamoru mused as they stared at a painting showing the two of them standing under a tree, the feet between them looking like miles. Usagi winced. Neither of them liked to talk about what they had recently learned of the past, how Usagi had been engaged to marry Mamoru's brother, but had betrayed him. She and Mamoru had driven Averill to near madness, and in essence, destroyed all they knew because of their love. That kind of thing did give one a heavy conscience, but at least they had earned his forgiveness in the end.

"Well, well," Usagi said in an dry voice as they moved on to the next group of paintings. Mamoru blinked. Well, well indeed.

They all showed Nick and the nameless girl, always standing as close together as possible, holding each other and grinning. The atmosphere surrounding them was very sweet and playful, and Mamoru found himself inspired to place an arm around Usagi's shoulders as they looked. The two they saw reflected through time were obviously very much in love.

"I hope Nick doesn't see these. I don't know how he'd react," Mamoru murmured after a long moment and felt Usagi snuggle against him.

"Yes," she agreed, blinking up at the pictures. "But who _is_ she? And what were they to us?" The couple above them were dressed as well as Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion, but that told them little.

"I don't know," Mamoru answered regretfully. "The easy thing would be to ask Kai, but somehow I don't think he'd tell us." He remembered Kai a few months ago urging Averill to tell them only what they "needed to know." They had both looked at Nick then, but at the time Mamoru had assumed it was because they didn't want to tell their story in front of a stranger. Obviously, that wasn't the case.

"Do we tell Nick?" Usagi breathed. "He knows about our past, but not that he was a part of it."

Mamoru gazed at a picture of Nick whispering something into the girl's ear, smiling much as he did every day. "Tell him what?" he asked, his voice odd. "That he had some great love in the past he's without now? Just because it worked out for you and I doesn't mean he'll find her. If she's been reincarnated at all, that is. No. I really don't think we should."

Mamoru almost laughed at that. It was amazing how often he thought about strangling his roommate, but honestly he really cared about Nick and wanted to protect him from harm, emotional or otherwise. Usagi didn't reply, but from the way she set her small jaw, he knew that she agreed. Together, they looked at a picture of the nameless girl sitting on a rose-covered gate, her lips curved into a Mona Lisa smile.

Her pale eyes seemed to be laughing at them.

* * *

Hi again (maybe)! This little story is the sequel to Secret Destiny, which if you haven't read, you may want to, because Silver Twilight is concerned heavily with themes and characters introduced in it, most notably Nick Kestrel and Lord Ahriman (called 'Boss' in Secret Destiny). It may make much less sense without knowing the background story, but if you'd rather not, more power to you - read on! I hope you like this. Beware of many original characters, some hopefully I'll eliminate along the way in editing. I wrote this in my juinor year in high school, in much less time than it took to write Secret Destiny. Not sure what that means, but I've always liked it and had a lot of fun writing it. I'll try to be much better about updating than I did SD. Anyway, thanks for reading, and let me know what you think! 

-Princess of Wands


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

I'll cross it though it blasts me.  
-Shakespeare, _Hamlet_

**San Mantego, Southwest California, USA**

The San Mantego Public Library was quiet that evening, except for the faint beeping of the computer as the librarian checked books in and out for the impatient people waiting in line. The librarian was elderly, in her late seventies, and very proud for having maintained her position as head librarian for forty-two years. Being head librarian came with certain responsibilities - she had to be much stricter than her young coworkers, and make sure there was never any fiendish talking or disturbances on her watch. Frequent visitors were familiar with her severe glare through overly-large spectacles, and insistent "_Shh_!" for the benefit of those who actually went to the library to read. The 110 pound lady could be quite terrifying when she tried to be.

However, with the excitement of keeping the people in line happy, she missed the two high school girls huddled in the corner, whispering excitedly as they poured over books on Japanese culture. Both were slim and about the same age and height, but their appearances made them seem like strange companions.

The first girl had short, dark blond hair pulled back from flashing green eyes with sparkly hair clips. She was dressed rather neatly, with a plaid skirt and perfectly-fitted cotton blouse… a complete contrast to her friend, who in one word looked 'sloppy.' This girl had red hair in a ponytail that when down fell several inches past her shoulders, and pretty blue eyes. She was wearing a wrinkly Korn t-shirt and jeans that even a homeless person would have been ashamed to wear. As a final touch, her ears were triple pierced, and if asked to lift her shirt, she'd reveal a silver navel ring. But despite conflicting appearances, these girls were best friends.

"I can't believe you're going to do this!" the first girl chided. She glowered at her friend from behind pink sunglasses. The redhead ignored her and chewed on her lower lip as she flipped through the book in her lap, absorbed. She jumped when her friend pinched her shoulder.

"What?"

"I can't believe you're going to Japan for a whole year. You can't do this to me! Just think… no more Saturday night movies, no more mall hopping or listening to music together!" She broke off and frowned before adding, "Not that we ever agree on what to listen to. But anyway, have you _really_ thought about it? Do you know what this _means_?" The red-haired girl tossed her ponytail over her shoulder and smiled at her friend's concern.

"Sure I do. There's no reason you can't do that stuff… just not with me."

Her friend, Melissa, sniffled and pushed her glasses up her nose. "You're crazy, Jen," she said expressively and sighed. "You'll be throwing yourself into the lion pit. I know you studied the language, but so what? You don't know anything about living there, the customs, nothing!"

"That's why we're reading these books, remember?"

"Still," Melissa rushed on, desperately trying to prove her point, "I… I'm going to miss you so much!" Jenny's eyes softened and she shut the book she'd been examining on Japanese table etiquette.

"I'll miss you, too, but I do have to go. I feel like if I don't get away from this town soon, I'll go crazy." She had said this so many times before that Melissa was no longer surprised by the fire that leapt into her friend's eyes, although a stranger might have been. Passion mixed with sadness, as well as an unwavering certainty that she was right, and not even Melissa could stop her.

But that didn't mean she wouldn't keep trying. "There's a ton of great American things you're going to miss," Melissa said, her voice low and taunting. "Think of the TV, the music, the… the internet!"

Jenny laughed. "They have those things in Japan! It's not like I'm going to Antarctica. Relax, Mel. I'm going, and I will love it. I wish you would believe that." Melissa sighed, not promising anything, and leaned against a bookcase in defeat. She decided to try one more time.

"You'll have to eat raw fish."

Jenny rolled her eyes and started stacking the scattered books back on the Foreign Culture shelf. "There's always rice."

Melissa opened her mouth, no doubt to give another argument, but her attention was stolen by a commotion at the front of the library. Several teenage boys, led by an especially large one, were pushing their way through the long line of weary-looking adults, who scattered, looking disgruntled. The head librarian was shaking her tiny fist at them, but they didn't seem to care and laughed like the bunch of asses they were.

"I'll tell you one thing I'm not going to miss," Jenny muttered darkly and glared at the biggest one, the two hundred and forty pound high school quarterback. "Dirk. Come on, Mel, let's get out of here before he sees us." But it was too late, for Brian Dirkson had already spotted them, and was heading their way with his buddies on his tail and a huge grin on his massive face.

"Oh great," Jenny said and ducked her head. "I don't suppose you have a sledgehammer on you?" Melissa gave her a smug look.

"What for? Your attitude is a better weapon than anything."

Jenny groaned and forced a smile. The one thing she was not going to do was let Dirk think he upset her. He was heading straight towards her, all muscles and teeth, and swung his arms like a Neanderthal. Jenny wondered what he was doing in the library. She very much doubted that he could read. And then, with a sick sensation in her middle, she realized that he had probably been seeking her out, for Dirk had only two real loves in life: 1. Playing football. 2. Aggravating Jenny.

"Hey, look, it's Jenny Thomas," Dirk said, stopping in front of her with wide eyes as if he'd only just noticed. He bared his teeth in what he must have thought was a charming smile. "And isn't she looking _fine_ this evening?"

He paused and his smile grew wider at the guffaws from his friends. When Jenny stared back at him expressionlessly, he added, "You busy, honey? How 'bout a night out with the boys? Or for a special treat, just me. I've heard from many reliable sources that you want me." He grinned, his beady dark eyes flashing in triumph, and nudged one of his friends.

Jenny felt sick. Why did this always happen? Like she didn't have to deal with it enough during the school year, here he was pestering her on the off-season. Summer was supposed to be _her_ time, away from it all.

"Go throw yourself in a turbine, Dirk," she told him, her high spirits completely evaporated. To think, only moments before she had been happy…

Dirk's groupies scowled at that, not at all pleased that their god had been insulted, but Dirk himself looked confused. Jenny couldn't decide if it was because he was puzzled by her rejection, or that she'd used a word he didn't know. He shuffled from foot to foot as she waited for him to think this over, and scrunched up his huge forehead in thought. A marvelous accomplishment for him.

"Was that a no?"

Jenny sighed and stood, reaching down a hand to help Melissa up as well. "I really don't have time for this, Dirk," she said and turned to leave, but as she tried to walk by, he grabbed her shoulder and pulled her towards him. Jenny winced as she caught a whiff of his stale breath, panting down at her.

"No, stay awhile."

"Let me go!"

"You see, I get this feeling we're not connected," Dirk told her, acting heartbroken for all he was worth. And where Brian Dirkson was concerned, that really wasn't much.

Jenny looked helplessly over his shoulder. Melissa was staring at her with wide, frightened eyes. Dirk's buddies were sneering, their eyes alight with excitement, and the people in line were ignoring them, back to their usual business. She wondered if they would come to her rescue if she screamed, but bitterly decided they wouldn't. Why should they care? As long as Dirk wasn't bothering them, they had no reason to get involved. And since Melissa was going to be absolutely no help, Jenny knew she had to get herself out of the situation.

"Connected?" Jenny looked up at him coldly, pretending that his antics to scare her had no effect. "My, what a big word you know. I suppose 'imbecile' was on this week's vocabulary list, too? And '_NO_!'"

Dirk's face hardened, and for a wild moment she actually thought he was going to hit her, but then he pushed her away roughly, muttering, "Crazy bitch. Who needs you?"

He turned his back on her and looked around with obvious disgust. "Come on. Let's get out of here." And without so much as a backward glance, Brian Dirkson and his fan club left the library the same way they had come in, by parting the crowd like the Red Sea.

Once she was sure he was gone, Jenny let out a sigh of relief and leaned back against the bookshelf, her eyes shut. "Moron has left the building," she heard Melissa say bitterly. "Honestly, you'd think that guy was King Tut the way people let him walk all over them. At least you have the guts to stand up to him… Hey, Jen, you okay?"

Jenny opened her eyes and attempted a weak smile for Melissa's benefit. "Sure. It's nothing I'm not used to." She put a hand to her flushed cheeks and then with a sudden realization that the world was unfair, burst out, "Why me? Why is it _always_ me? Can't they think of a better way to spend their afternoons?"

"Well, isn't it obvious?" Melissa asked, raising a light eyebrow in surprise. "He likes you."

"Likes me?" Jenny snorted and felt a wild urge to laugh, accompanied by an even darker flush to her cheeks. "Are you kidding. He hates me. They all do. I've been their red target ever since…" She broke off abruptly, frowning, but Melissa smiled and put an arm around her shoulders.

"Hey, don't worry about it," she said kindly. "Just concentrate on getting yourself ready for Saturday, okay? I'll be at the airport to see you off."

Jenny smiled then. "I know. Nothing is going to spoil my mood then, even if Dirk shows up to give me a goodbye kiss."

"There you go! This is the Jennifer Thomas I like to see. It would be kind of funny, though. Brian Dirkson, tears flowing down his cheeks because his greatest love is leaving him!" Melissa laughed until Jenny punched her half-heartedly in the arm. "_Ow_!"

"Come on, we should go, too." Chattering about this and that, the girls headed out to the small library parking lot.

"Want a ride?" Jenny asked as she unlocked her '94 Ford, and was rewarded with an amused laugh.

"I only live three blocks away. Summer has made me lazy, and I could use the exercise. Thanks, though."

Jenny shrugged and opened the car door. "Okay. See you later, Mel."

"Take care," Melissa muttered and pushed her colorful sunglasses up her nose again before stalking away. Wasting no time, Jenny started the car and pulled out onto the road. Chances were that Dirk and his not-so-little buddies were still polluting the area, and the last thing she wanted was another confrontation with them. At least if they advanced on her while she was driving, she had the advantage. Thinking of Dirk squashed on the road like a pancake was a pleasant thought, and she began to hum happily as she drove.

Jenny was on the main highway through a part of the desert when thoughts burst upon her, painfully loud. Although not normally of a nervous temperament, there was so much for her to worry about. Going to Japan, starting a new life, leaving everyone she loved behind and trying to fit into the new culture without doing something totally embarrassing. Maybe Melissa was right… maybe she _was_ making a mistake…

With a sigh, she reached out and switched on the radio. She desperately needed the distraction. But unfortunately, the first song that blasted into the car was Cher's  
"Believe." Jenny felt her lip curl with distaste. She _hated_ that song, and for this reason, was able to blame all her following misfortunes on Cher. If Cher's song hadn't been so pitifully annoying, she would never have bothered to take her eyes off the road to change the station. And if she had been paying attention, she would have been able to swerve in time when a flash of gold darted out onto the road, but it was simply too late. Her face drained of color when she felt the car hit something:

THUMP.

Jenny slammed on her breaks, a stream of cuss words flying from her mouth. It had been an animal: she was sure of it. Jenny had never hit anything before, but she recognized the sick 'bump' of rubber running over flesh from the time her dad had hit a rabbit. She sat for a minute in stunned silence, and then, lip caught between her teeth, she pulled the car off the road and got out to survey the damage. She hoped that she had just hurt it a little, not sent it straight to the Grim Reaper, and crossed her fingers on both hands before running back the twenty-some feet to where the little victim lay.

At first glance, she didn't know what it was. On second, she had a crazy guess, but quickly pushed it aside. Surely the blood matting its coat and the unnatural angle at which it lay was concealing its true nature.

It _couldn't_ be a miniature lion, for God's sake.

Jenny knelt beside it and sucked in her breath. A possibly _dead_ little lion. No. She decided hastily that it was a strange-looking cat - lions didn't live in California, after all - and it was most certainly alive since she could see its rapid breathing and small red eyes darting around.

"Oh, you poor baby," she moaned and reached down. She couldn't leave it there. She would never forgive herself. Despite her somewhat tough exterior, Jenny had a soft spot for animals, especially oddballs of nature like this one. With a quick determined glance at the deserted road, she took off her Korn shirt, revealing a simple black tank top underneath, and gently lifted and wrapped the cat like a baby.

Faster than she knew she was capable of, Jenny drove towards Dr. Hobson's veterinary clinic. She had become well acquainted with Dr. Hobson over the years due to the surprising number of animal mishaps that had plagued her family. Such as the time her brother Benjamin "accidentally" fed the hamster invisible ink, or the time the family

goldfish had turned green. Whatever the case, Jenny had found herself on Dr. Hobson's doorstep more often than she would have liked.

Dr. Hobson was on lunch break, the perky secretary, Judith, informed her as she burst into the office, and suggested she sit down. Seeing no other immediate option, Jenny sat in one of the not-so-soft office chairs and waited. She peered down at the bundle in her arms with worry. She didn't think it looked so good, but then again, what did she know about cats that looked like little lions?

"I'm going to call you Cat," she whispered to it in clear lack of a more creative name, and also to eliminate future confusion. The red eyes blinked at her morosely and she sighed, wishing Dr. Hobson would hurry.

"The doctor will see you now!" the secretary called sweetly fifteen minutes later, and with a nod of thanks, Jenny stood and raced into the back hall. Her heart was beating uncomfortably. She felt almost as if Cat was her own suffering child.

Dr. Hobson beamed as she entered his office, his plump cheeks shiny and red. "Miss Jenny!" he cried pleasantly and folded his hands behind his back after giving her a quick once-over. "This is a wonderful surprise! What can I do for you?" The vet was in his sixties and had very little hair, but what was left of it stuck out from the sides of his head in a cross between a mad scientist and Andy Warhol. He had always made her uncomfortable, especially when his little eyes squinted and peered at her through his thick, black-framed glasses.

But he was her only hope.

"I… well, I hit this cat," Jenny admitted after taking a deep breath, and placed it gently on the table. "Can you help him… her… whatever?"

Dr. Hobson frowned down at it. "Strangest looking cat I've ever seen," he muttered.

Cat seemed to take offense to that.

Dr. Hobson suddenly became the perfect vet and started checking Cat over, muttering things like "internal bleeding" and "fracture" while Jenny looked on anxiously. Finally he looked up and smiled.

"He'll be fine. It is a him," he added. "I can patch him up for… this much." Dr. Hobson scribbled down a figure on a small pad of paper and handed it to her. Jenny paled as she looked.

"That much?" she whispered.

Dr. Hobson smiled. "That much."

"I… um…" Jenny choked, not sure what to do. The vet sensed her hesitation and glanced at Cat.

"He must a stray. Maybe it's best to have him put down rather than turn him over to a shelter once he's well."

That made her feel ill. "I'll pay, and I'll keep him," she told him hastily. "Who needs a college education anyway?"

Jenny was suddenly feeling very grumpy, but just the opposite, Dr. Hobson beamed like the North Star. "That's the spirit!" he said and Jenny stepped aside to let him get a closer look at the limp animal. "Poor guy. It looks like somebody had a sense of humor and shaved him, leaving this ridiculous thing." Dr. Hobson chuckled at the cat's lion-like mane, and reached for an electric shaver. "Must be mighty uncomfortable."

And then when he leaned over, positioning the razor above the cat's neck, the amazing thing happened. Cat opened his eyes and looked up at the vet, and as Jenny watched, a kind of glaze came over them, making the irises appear more silver than red. Abruptly, Dr. Hobson stilled, his eyes fixed on the animal.

"What is it?" Jenny asked, watching him with concern. Maybe he was having a stroke. He _was_ kind of old. But he didn't move at the sound of her voice.

Cat stared at Dr. Hobson, and Dr. Hobson stared at Cat. All the while, Jenny stared at _both_ of them, her head spinning in confusion. What was going on?

And then, suddenly, Cat's eyes shut and he leaned back against the table, breathing heavily for such a little guy. Jenny tore her eyes from the strange animal and looked at Dr. Hobson to see that a sort of shadow had crossed his face. "Right," he said crisply, as if continuing a conversation they'd been having, "I'll fix him, and call you in a few days to bring him home." He turned his back on her in a clear suggestion that she was to leave.

Jenny sighed. She could tell when she wasn't wanted. With a last pitying look at Cat, she left the room and headed down the hall. She said goodbye to Judith, and walked out the door, slightly mystified.

That had been really weird.

0 0 0

The first thing Jenny was greeted with as she entered her house was noise. This was not unusual. With two adults, five kids from the ages eight to eighteen and four animals living under the same roof, there was hardly any time for quiet meditation.

The moment she stepped into the kitchen, her ten year old brother, Benjamin, stepped up to her and frowned. "Do you smell that?" he asked seriously. Jenny threw her keys onto the kitchen table and sniffed.

"No. What?"

"Your face!" he yelled with juvenile cleverness and raced from the kitchen, nearly hyperventilating from his hysteric giggles. Jenny rolled her eyes and sat at the table. Brothers were a joy, especially younger ones. How would she _ever_ survive without him in Japan? But she smiled at his retreating figure.

"Witty and charming," her mother said as she entered the kitchen, shaking her head. "It's a wonder he doesn't have a girlfriend."

Mrs. Thomas tugged on Jenny's ponytail once before turning to the stove and stirring whatever dinner surprise she was cooking. Unlike many teenagers, Jenny could honestly say that she had a good relationship with her parents. She never found it difficult to talk to them, no matter what the subject. And on their behalf, they never seemed to freak out when she dyed her hair a new color or got another piercing. Not in front of her.

Two screaming blurs raced into the kitchen and tore around the table a few times before exiting. Jenny stared after her little siblings with mild surprise, but Mrs. Thomas didn't even blink.

"Cory… Alaina… stop fighting and sit down," she called after them mildly and then gestured at the counter with her spatula. "Oh, Jen, sweetie. There's a letter for you."

Jenny got up from the table eagerly and grabbed the envelope. It was addressed to her, but with shaky, childish letters, suggesting that the author wasn't used to the western way of printing. She smiled, knowing exactly who it was from, and also that inside would contain a letter with neater Japanese characters more familiar to the writer.

She started to leave, but paused as an afterthought. "Hey mom, in a couple of days we're getting a new cat," she said, hoping she sounded confident, and eyed her mother warily.

Mrs. Thomas, however, seemed much more intent on stirring her masterpiece than listening. "That's fine, dear," she said, and Jenny turned to hide a smile. That had worked out well.

On the way up to her room, Jenny passed several of her paintings on the walls, including her favorite, a swirling mass of colors, symbols and shapes, which she had proudly dubbed, "Eden Paradox." Once in her room, she shut the door, blocking out sound of her sister Kristin's trumpet practice, and switched on the radio to a rock station for a more pleasant background. She flopped onto her bed, rolled onto her stomach and tore open the letter.

This letter was the third she'd received from her soon-to-be host family in Japan. The first had been an introduction, the second had covered remaining loose ends and this one seemed to be a simple well-wisher. Each family member had written a section: the mother wrote that she wanted Jenny to tell her what her favorite dishes were so she could practice them before her arrival (_So much for dead fish, Mel_, Jenny thought wryly upon reading this); the father wanted her parents to write so he could get to know them; the young son, Shingo, asked her to teach him about American sport teams when she arrived and the teenage daughter, Usagi, just raved about how much fun it would be to have a sister.

Listening to Kristin's out-of-tune trumpet and Alaina's far-away shrieks, Jenny thought Usagi was actually lucky for _not_ having one.

She reread the letter, and as she did, noticed some rather glaring grammar mistakes in Usagi's section. Jenny's eyes widened and both her eyebrows rose. Japanese wasn't her native language, but she knew _she_ could do better than that. Still, she decided to give the Japanese girl a little credit. Usagi must have been in a rush when she wrote it. She couldn't possibly be as dumb as she sounded.

Included with the letter was a photograph ("So you can find us as the airport," Mrs. Tsukino had written on the back) of the family. Jenny studied it with interest. A very nice-looking couple stood with arms around each other behind their children. The blond girl gave a sweet smile to whoever was taking her picture while her mischievous-looking brother gave her bunny ears.

With a yawn, Jenny tossed the picture and letter onto her desk and lay back on her bed, feeling very happy. It wasn't until her eyes shifted to the window and she saw the house next door that her spirits dimmed. Suddenly downhearted, she grabbed her stuffed iguana and hugged it to her chest. She told herself that it didn't matter anymore. Soon, she would be leaving San Mantego and all her ghostlike memories far behind.

Everything.

0 0 0

Later that week, Jenny was delighted to receive a call from Dr. Hobson, who told her that Cat was ready to be picked up. Soon after she hung up the phone she was in her car, on her way. When she arrived, she was happy to see her new pet, but also somewhat surprised. She had expected Cat to look… well, sick, but truthfully she had never seen a healthier-looking animal. Not a scratch on him. But Jenny wasn't the kind of girl to worry about details, so she quickly signed the necessary papers and handed over her hard-earned money. Dr. Hobson was still looking dazed, and perhaps this was why he had considerably lowered the price. Whatever the reason, she didn't argue. Her money was too precious to waste.

Cat was very social as she drove him home, so much that she had to yell at him to stop rubbing against her legs while she drove. The last thing she needed was another accident. She could just imagine arriving in Japan all broken and bloody… what a way to make a first impression.

"Pretty glad I saved your life, huh?" she asked Cat, remembering that just a few days prior, Cat _was_ broken and bloody. He had been sitting on the passenger seat, contently licking his shining gold coat, but at the sound of her voice, he paused and looked at her, his red eyes staring at her in an eerie intelligent way. Jenny looked away uneasily and he resumed his task.

_What a strange animal,_ she thought.

Cat was welcomed warmly into the Thomas household - a little too warmly, perhaps. She could tell by his flattened ears that he was a bit miffed when six pairs of hands reached for him at once upon entering. But she managed to grab him and dash up to her room before any permanent damage was done.

"Saved," she breathed as she shut the door behind her and watched Cat stalk away huffily. "Oh, don't look like that. You'll have to get used to them, you know. I'm going to Japan in a few days and won't be around to protect you." At that, Cat looked up and meowed in question.

Jenny stared at him and then laughed. "Yeah, right. You don't understand me at all, do you? How could you? You're a _cat_. God, why am I even bothering to explain?" Jenny shook her head with the enigma. Cat ignored her and quite deliberately licked his right paw. She sighed and her eyes drifted to his mane, now fuller and shinier than ever.

"You want me to cut that for you?" she asked, feeling foolish for doing so, and was shocked when Cat looked up and glared at her. "Okay, fine then," she muttered and sat down on the edge of her bed. "It gives you a unique look, anyway. I kinda like it."

Cat started sniffing around her bed and discovered her pile of suitcases in the corner. Only three… not much considering she was going to be gone for an entire year. "I pack light," she explained, still feeling as if she had to. "All I really need is my art stuff. Nothing else matters to me."

Cat jumped onto her lap and started purring. She laughed and scratched his ears.  
"I can see myself getting attached to you," she mused and Cat closed his eyes in the ecstasy of a tummy rub. "You'll have to stay away from me this next week or I'll find myself missing you in Japan."

She kept on scratching him and added, almost dreamily, "Everything will be so different there, but I'll survive. I know I will."

Cat seemed to be agreeing with her.

Jenny yawned, sleepy from the long day. "Bedtime for me. You sleeping here, baby?" she asked Cat, who had already taken up a large portion of her pillow. "I'll take that as an affirmative," she murmured with another yawn and crawled under the covers without bothering to undress. Within minutes, she had faded into a sweet dream.

Cat, however, didn't sleep, and took to watching his mistress snore away instead. His strange red eyes blinked and his whiskers twitched in time with her breathing. He had no intention of sleeping. He waited until she was in such a deep state of sleep that not even sound could penetrate before softly padding over and nuzzling her ear.

Jenny was dreaming that she was in a sunlit field, stretched out on the grass with a picnic basket and a blanket beside her. Her white sundress gleamed in the sun, and not a single cloud dared dot the azure sky. She was waiting for someone… she always was..

Words floated down from the sky: "Leave aside all your worries, my princess. All shall end well. You have a greater destiny than you could possibly imagine, and you must be prepared for the road ahead. So sleep well, my beauty, and rest your mind, for there's no knowing when you'll be able to rest so easily again."

It was Cat, she thought hazily, the warm sunlight making her stupid. Cat was speaking to her. In the dream, Jenny only rolled over and stretched, and although she vaguely remembered the words in the morning, she took them to be nothing more than a part of her dream.

Cats can't talk, of course.

* * *

This is the only chapter with all original characters. I promise. :) 


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

In my beginning is my end.  
-George Eliot

Jenny had thought she would be able to leave on Saturday with a reasonably cheerful face. She was wrong. As she stood in the airport that morning amid a crowd of harassed-looking travelers, she was finding it difficult to hold back tears. And since crying was the one thing she hated above all else, she was furious that she had to make an extra effort to choke back that annoying wetness.

Up until then, everything had gone as planned. She had checked and rechecked her list the previous night, making sure all toiletries and necessary papers were in place. She had experienced traveler's panic by waking up at 3 AM, thinking she had forgotten to pack her graphite sticks (she hadn't). In the morning, her mother had prepared a "farewell breakfast" with all her favorites (Lucky Charms with blueberries, and toast sprinkled with cinnamon sugar). She had said a regretful goodbye to Cat, who afterwards snuck into her luggage, and almost succeeded in escaping with her, until he sneezed and was promptly removed by her amused father. Then there was the drive to the airport, with Jenny smashed in the backseat of her parents' minivan between Melissa and a sulking Kristen. She had been feeling, for the most part, pretty damn good.

But now, Jenny was being passed around the circle of family and friend in a daze, so quickly she could scarcely breath. She was squeezed and embraced by her younger, squirming siblings; had her hand formally shaken by her older sister; was fussed over by her anxious mother; hugged and sobbed all over by Melissa; and lifted off the ground in a bear hug by her father.

"Really, I'll be okay," she choked out after escaping from him, trying to look brave as she stepped back and bent to pick up her carry-on backpack.

"Jenny, we'll miss you!" a chorus of voices called out as she walked away, making her falter and look back for a final wave. Her heart was thumping uneasily, and despite a desire to run back to them and call the whole thing off, Jenny turned and forced herself to stand in line for security. She could do this. She _could_.

The metal detector beeped her three times as she went through, so she was treated to a pat down by a burly-looking woman with a moustache. Once convinced that she wasn't carrying a bomb or otherwise sharp objects, Jenny was allowed to go, and she scurried ahead with relief. Somehow, she made it onto the plane and walked to her seat, painfully realizing that this would be the last time she'd be able to exercise her legs for almost a day. She found her aisle seat, plopped down and craned her neck to watch the weary airport employees hurrying outside her window.

She felt more than a little overwhelmed. It was all happening so _fast_. She'd had half a year of preparation, but now felt as if the situation had been dumped on her within minutes. She was leaving the town she'd grown up in, and even though she had thought she'd be ecstatic, her heart was slightly sick. Was this the end, then, of everything she had known?

But when she thought about Brian Dirkson's sneer and meaty head, she felt much better.

"Do you mind switching seats?" The voice came suddenly, loud and clear and Jenny jumped as she was torn from her thoughts. She looked up and felt her eyes widen when she saw who had addressed her.

Standing before her was one of the most beautiful girls she had ever seen. Jenny tried not to stare, but she had never before seen a person look so much like she naturally belonged on the cover of Vogue. The girl had long shiny hair of the brightest gold that fell straight down from a middle part to just below her waist, framing her body with a long, glorious curtain of hair. Her features were delicate and perfectly carved, even though her nose might have been a little too small for her face. The perfectly applied makeup only accentuated the natural beauty she was already blessed with. And she had purple eyes: that was the coolest part. So bright and shiny that Jenny was sure they were natural rather than colored contacts.

Jenny couldn't help feeling a little jealous. Who _wouldn't_ after being faced with a mortal Aphrodite? She blushed suddenly, feeling stupid for staring so long, but the girl didn't seem to mind. She was clearly used to it.

And what had she said? Jenny had forgotten. Now she cleared her throat, and mumbled, "Pardon?"

The girl tilted her head and smiled. "Would you mind switching seats?" she asked again, and Jenny noticed that she spoke with a British accent. "My ticket shows I have the window seat and I'm dreadfully afraid of heights. So, if you don't mind…"

"Oh, sure." Jenny slid over to the window happily. She was glad the girl had offered, for she had been planning on asking anyway. The British girl put her duffel bag in the compartment above their heads before sitting down and turning to stare at Jenny, unabashedly, intently. Her searching gaze made Jenny uncomfortable, and she racked her brain for something to say that wouldn't sound childish or offending, but nothing came to mind. She quickly discovered that she didn't have to, for the girl had a mouth of her own.

"Are you a virgin?" she asked curiously, casually.

Jenny flushed. "Excuse me?"

The girl shrugged and absentmindedly ran her right hand through her long shiny hair. "It's just a question. I'm trying to make conversation. I thought Americans were supposed to be frightfully blunt." When Jenny stared at her in shocked silence, the girl started laughing, something that deeply annoyed Jenny and made her turn to look out the window indignantly.

Seeing she wasn't amused, the girl stopped laughing and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. Well, okay. Maybe I did. Sometimes people don't get my sense of humor. You really shouldn't pay attention to anything I say."

"I'll keep that in mind," Jenny told her coolly and continued glaring at the runway, wondering when the plane was going to take off. If this was what she had to endure for hours, then she wanted to get it over with. Fast.

The girl sighed. "Okay, that began badly. Let's start over. Hello, my name is Alyson Dunam." Jenny shot her a sideways glance and saw a warm smile and an open hand. Her anger died, and she took it.

"Jennifer Thomas. Jenny."

"Ah, that wasn't so hard, was it?" Alyson asked sweetly and Jenny found herself smiling back.

"No. I guess not. So, you're from…"

"London," Alyson told her flippantly. "Do you like musical theatre?"

Jenny frowned at the non sequitar. "I…"

"It's my passion. I'm going to be a singer someday, you know, whether my father approves or not. He thinks I should be concentrating on choosing a 'real' career. Please! I'm only sixteen! Have you ever been to New York City?"

Jenny gaped open-mouthed at her. She wasn't sure how to take this excitable English creature who flitted so easily from topic to topic. She decided to politely shake her head.

"No? Well, you should. That's where I flew here from. I had quite a layover and went to see _Rent_. It was fantastic! My father would freak if he knew. He wanted me to stay in the airport like a good little girl." She laughed harshly. "Daddy always expects me to misbehave. That's the only reason I do it. He's punishing me by making me fly second class… oh! Not that I mind sitting by you! That's not what I meant at all." She peered at Jenny worriedly, who only shook her head, mildly bemused.

She decided to change to subject. "So, why are you going to Japan?" Jenny was sure this was a safe subject, but Alyson scowled and shook her head.

"I'm an exchange student. I'm almost glad I'm escaping."

Jenny raised an eyebrow. "Almost? You mean you don't want to go?"

"Of _course_ not!" Alyson cried, her violet eyes flashing annoyance, not at Jenny but the situation. "I was _supposed_ to go to Hong Kong, but somehow my application got screwed up and they're sending me to Tokyo. Bastards. I suppose my father could have fixed things if he wanted, but he's making me go anyway. He thinks it'll be a good life experience."

Alyson shook her head furiously, "And I don't speak a word of Japanese, beyond _sayonara_, I guess. I speak Chinese because my best friend moved to London from Taiwan, but Japanese? Forget it." She sighed and shot a sideways look at Jenny, who was staring her, wide-eyed. Unexpectedly, she laughed.

"You should see yourself! Well, you know my life story, how about yours?"

"There's not that much to tell," Jenny said with a blush, feeling embarrassed for not being more interesting. But Alyson simply shrugged and started prattling about musicals again. And by the time the plane took off, Jenny was smiling. She had decided that the flight might not be so bad, after all.

0 0 0

The morning that the exchange student was due to arrive was absolute chaos for the Tsukino family. For once, Usagi had woken up early and that was enough to start a catalyst of events going backwards. Breakfast was a disaster. The toast burned; Luna got coffee spilled on her tail and raced from the room, hissing; and Shingo suddenly came down with the flu. Usagi watched him suspiciously as she tried to choke down the blackened toast without crying. He seemed sincere enough as he groaned, and their mother nervously fluttered around him with a thermometer and a cold cloth.

"Oh dear," Mrs. Tsukino moaned as she checked the thermometer. "It's over one hundred and two. I can't let him go. I'll have to stay with him." Shingo made no objection, due mostly to the fact that he had fallen asleep in his cereal.

"It's okay, Mama," Usagi assured her. "Papa and I will go. Thomas-san will understand." Her mother nodded, although a little uneasily.

Seconds later, Mr. Tsukino furiously rushed into the kitchen. "The car isn't working!" he cried so loudly that his children winced and a recently returned Luna jumped three feet into the air before again racing from the room. Mrs. Tsukino hurried over to him, muttering soothingly, but he was beyond calming.

"I tried to start it three times, but the engine is dead. Why today of all days!"

"Now, dear, I'm sure that if you try it again…" his wife started but was cut off by the shrill ringing of the telephone. Mr. Tsukino, enraged by the interruption, grabbed the telephone from the receiver and yelled, "_WHAT_!" His wife winced and wrung her hands, upset at her husband's rude greeting.

"You want _who_?" he was yelling, turning purple. He glared at Usagi and said, "It's a boy! Why would a boy be calling you?" He turned back to the receiver and demanded, "Who _are_ you?" but Usagi had already grabbed the receiver from him before the stunned person on the other end had a chance to answer.

"Yes?"

"Usako, I'm sorry if this is a bad time," the boy said apologetically and she recognized Mamoru's voice. She shot a worried look at her father, who was still fuming, and let out an uneasy laugh.

Usagi had to think amazingly fast. She choked out, "Oh, _sensei_, hello!" Mamoru's silence on the other end was so long that she babbled more. "Oh, yes. I am going to apply myself in school this year. Thank you for asking." She looked again at her father, who was starting to calm down, and now seemed embarrassed by his outburst at "_sensei_."

"Usako, what are you talking about?" Mamoru asked, bewildered. "I was just calling to wish you good luck today. Is everything alright?"

"Actually no," Usagi sighed, taking the risk of speaking honestly. "The car is broken and we're supposed to pick up our exchange student in a few hours."

"Can you take a taxi?"

"I don't know. I suppose we may have to."

Another pause, and then Mamoru said, "I could give you a ride. I have nothing else to do today."

"Oh, would you?" Usagi exclaimed gratefully, but when she saw her father watching her, she gulped. He was calm now, but she could imagine his face when "_sensei_" drove up in his snazzy red car. He knew Mamoru wasn't a teacher of hers, and she didn't want another taste of his temper this early.

"Sure, that would be wonderful," she added half-heartedly and swallowed. "Could you hold on a minute?" She held the receiver away from her ear and looked at her father. "Um… _sensei_ said he's going to the airport, too, and can give one of us a ride. He has two extra seats, and one of them needs to be saved for Thomas-san."

"That's very kind of him," Mr. Tsukino said. "Tell him I'll be waiting out front."

Usagi sweat-dropped. "Well… he wants to talk to me about… um, studying. So I need to go. It's okay, really, Papa," she said quickly as he started to look suspicious. "I'll go."

But Mr. Tsukino was already shaking his head. "Let me try starting the car again, and then we'll decide if you go." He stomped out to the garage, his wife at his heels, and Usagi sighed in relief.

"I'm sorry," she said miserably to Mamoru, "but my parents were right there. Papa isn't comfortable with me talking to boys."

"I guessed," Mamoru said dryly. "So, do you need a ride?"

But before she could answer, the call waiting beeped. It was Naru, sounding desperate and breathless. Her cousin, Christine, was arriving from France that day, but her mother had caught the same flu as Shingo, and was too weary to move. She sounded a little embarrassed about asking for a ride, knowing Usagi's family was due to pick up their exchange student. But Usagi confirmed the arrangement with a somewhat reluctant Mamoru, and Naru sounded a great deal cheerier when she hung up.

Just when Usagi was relieved to finally be able to talk to her boyfriend, the call waiting beeped _again_. She put a mystified Mamoru on hold, and sighed, "Hello?"

"It's Rei," the speaker on the other end said. "I'm calling to warn you."

"Warn me about what?" Usagi asked wearily. She already felt she couldn't get to the airport soon enough.

"I have a bad feeling. Something is going to happen today. I've been getting very strange readings from the sacred fire that I don't understand, but I think something Evil is coming." This put a stop to Usagi's unpleasant thoughts, for Rei's fire readings were rarely wrong.

"Are you sure?"

"Well, no. Something is clouding my vision. It's mostly instinct that's bothering me. I have a terrible feeling about today, and I want you to promise to be on guard."

Usagi calmed. As long as it wasn't concrete proof, she wasn't going to concern herself. Not when she had a fun day with Mamoru and her new "sister" ahead of her. "Okay, I'll be on the lookout," she agreed, only to appease her friend.

"Promise me you'll be careful, Usagi-chan," Rei begged, and Usagi raised a surprised eyebrow. She had rarely heard Rei sound so concerned.

"I promise. But really, what could happen? Mamo-chan will be with me."

"As if that's a consolation," Rei said, and before Usagi could say anything, she cried, "Have fun!" and hung up.

Usagi switched back to Mamoru, now fuming. "Anything wrong?" he asked, and she took a deep breath to calm herself. Rei's warning had been undoubtedly strange, but she decided there was no need to make him worry. He liked making a big deal over little things, and she wanted the day to be a success.

"I'm okay. I'll meet you at the end of the block. Papa would have a heart attack if you picked me up at the house." And then with a final goodbye, Usagi hung up, telling herself she was doing the right thing by keeping it to herself. What could possibly happen, after all?

0 0 0

The walkway was empty. Good. She had made sure of that. There were no private areas at a busy airport, and sometimes one had to take drastic measures if solitude was needed. And it was. Oh, yes. Her spell demanded absolute silence.

It hadn't been difficult to make the entrance invisible. A rather simple spell actually, although she expected people would be confused when they couldn't find Gate H-12. It didn't matter. They would have to wait, for this was a matter of life and death. She smiled then. Mostly death, but that didn't matter either, for it wouldn't be hers. For being the one to free the creature, she was sure to be immune.

Humming to herself, she set about her work. First, was the circle of protection. It wouldn't be very smart, after all, to free the Evil without any kind of container. The power could very well destroy the airport, or try to possess her mind. That was unnecessary. She could be wicked enough without interference.

She carefully positioned five candles around her and muttered incantations of the Old World until each burst into a brilliant golden flame. When she sprinkled a white powder from the jar beside her on the flames, they turned black. A breathless giggle escaped her throat. She had been planning and dreaming of this for so long, and everything was going as planned.

Next, was the mirror. She silently removed it from her handbag and gazed down at the silvery surface. Yes, the mirror was vital in the spell. It would have been easier to smash the original, but she preferred not having to go through the trouble of obtaining it from the Neptune princess. Any mirror charged with dark energy would do, and besides, she was busy with other preparations and didn't have that kind of time or energy to spare.

She murmured a few more words and the mirror lazily floated off her hands and hovered, waiting to be consumed by the spell. In ecstasy, she closed her eyes and concentrated the energy onto her hands. She spoke the final words patiently in a chant, each time growing more insistent as she waited for the energy to build. Finally, she felt a sudden cold heat and opened her eyes with a gasp. There, on her hands, burned an icy blue flame. Her chanting grew louder and more excited as she watched. For a minute, nothing happened. Then, the floating mirror began to smoke.

Her body was buzzing in exhilaration, and although it was becoming difficult to breathe, she dared not stop her chanting. She rose her voice to be heard over the howling flames, flickering in the cool wind, until finally a dark shape spewed from the mirror, making the object shatter. She sat back, gasping in exhaustion. Her hands were burned and bleeding now, but she was satisfied, for she had fulfilled her purpose.

The dark shape that she had released was furiously moving around the circle, trying to escape, but her spell was too strong. Only for now. Once the creature regained its full power, one touch would be enough to kill her. Far from making her shake, the thought amused her.

Slowly, the dark mass was becoming stronger, more intelligent, and eventually it stopped aimlessly swirling above her head and hovered, considering. She felt that it was watching her, and bowed her head with respect.

"My Lord Ahriman, I have helped you escape," she said gravely. "I am, as ever, your servant to command."

The creature's laughter echoed throughout the terminal.

0 0 0

Christine's plane was arriving first, so they went with Naru to wait, although Usagi glanced nervously at the clock every few minutes. Naru, normally very composed, looked pale as she anxiously scanned the arriving crowd for a familiar face. She hadn't seen her cousin in years, and when Mamoru asked what the French girl looked like, she had only the vaguest description to give from her aunt and uncle's letters: fourteen, and very naughty.

Naru was nervously eyeing a girl in a leather miniskirt with a spiky collar around her neck when a small girl with curly purple hair and smiling gray eyes walked right up to them and held out her hand. Needless to say, Naru was quite surprised, for rather than the Hell's Angel she had been expecting, Christine looked like a sweet little do-gooder who wouldn't hurt a flea.

Seeing the stupefied look on her cousin's face, Christine laughed, and said, "I'm not what you were expecting, am I?" in perfect Japanese, while Naru shook her head, bewildered. From the pink ribbon tying her hair back to the Winnie the Pooh t-shirt she wore, Christine didn't look even mildly threatening.

But Naru greeted her cousin enthusiastically and introduced her to Usagi and Mamoru. They started speaking, and after a little prompting, Christine revealed that her only sin, as far as she knew, was having a boyfriend four years older. Her ultra-conservative parents had become concerned by the amount of time she spent with him, and decided that the only way to save her soul was to send her across the globe, away from him. Christine smiled as she explained, but there was a bitter and lonely look in her eyes, showing that _she_, for one, was not pleased with the new living arrangements.

Naru cooed her sympathy, but Christine smiled and shook her head. "We promised each other not to worry about it. A year isn't that long."

She seemed to be trying to convince herself, and in distraction, added, "Can we get my luggage now?"

"In a minute. We have to pick up someone else first. Usagi-chan's American exchange student. Where is she arriving?" Naru looked imploringly at Usagi, who sweatdropped and shrugged helplessly.

"How should I know? I'm terrible with directions."

Mamoru sighed and scratched his head. "I'll ask at that desk over there. The plane is coming from Los Angeles, right?" But he never got the chance, for as he started walking away, the screaming began.

Usagi felt all color drain from her face at the sound. Lights flickered overhead, and a roaring like the sound of an tornado came rushing down the corridor. People all around them were gasping and clutching one another nervously, and above the horrible rushing wind came a voice from the loudspeaker, desperately calling, "Please stay calm, everyone! We have a slight disturbance in the east wing. There is no… need… to… panic."

From the noise, Usagi thought that everyone should clearly be panicking. What could it _be_? She bit her lip in quick determination. There was really only one way to find out. She caught Mamoru's blue eyes and he nodded, knowing what she was thinking.

"Stay here. We'll be back in a minute," he ordered Naru and Christine, who were holding each other in a mixture of fear and confusion.

"But Usagi-chan, _what_…?"

"Just one minute, please. We'll be right back," Usagi said hurriedly and took off running in the direction where the worst screaming was concentrated. She looked over at Mamoru, running beside her, and gasped, "What do you suppose…?"

"I don't know, but it's nothing good," he answered, and started faster. Usagi clenched her fists and followed. _Thank you, Rei-chan, _she thought bitterly. _Why do you _always_ have to be right_?

The roaring intensified and Usagi had to push herself to keep up with Mamoru. No, this was definitely not good.

0 0 0

At about the same time Naru found her cousin, Jenny and Alyson were leaving their own plane with relief. "Oh," Alyson moaned as she dragged her feet. "I can walk. It's a miracle." She started hopping absently to get rid of the pins and needles racing through her half-numbed feet.

Jenny retrieved the picture of the Tsukino family from her backpack and scanned the waiting area. None of the anxious faces around her were familiar. "My family isn't here yet," she said with disappointment, and Alyson narrowed her eyes as she also looked around.

"Neither is mine. They're going to be holding a sign with a tiger on it. I guess it's supposed to be cute because their last name means tiger, or something," Alyson muttered, not looking in the least amused.

"Well, that's okay." Jenny put the photo in the front pocket of her backpack. "We can talk longer."

"We can talk in school," Alyson said and winced. "Right now I really have to find the loo." The girls had been delighted to discover on the plane that they were enrolled at the same school, and Alyson had already announced her plans to stick to Jenny like a burr so she could translate for her. Jenny had agreed with enthusiasm, which was a good thing, because Alyson would have left her little choice, anyway.

Jenny smiled and rolled her eyes. "I told you to go on the plane. Don't you ever listen to good advice?"

"No. It was scary in there. You never know if the plane is going to crash while you're doing your business. And it was smelly. I'm perfectly fine being the first to try out the Japanese toilet. Want to come?"

"I should wait for my host family," Jenny declined and shook her head. "You go."

Alyson pursed her lips together. "Okay, but don't leave yet. I want to find out where you live first. Oh, and if you see people with a tiger sign, can you make them wait for me?"

"Sure," Jenny said and smiled as she stepped aside. "Have fun."

Alyson groaned and gave her a look that clearly showed she thought that unlikely, and when she left, Jenny walked around the waiting area with a laugh. Usually, she didn't immediately bond with people, but knew that Alyson was going to become a good friend. Overall, she was pleased that her new life in Japan was starting out so well.

Minutes passed and still the Tsukino family didn't show. Jenny kept right on circling the waiting room, trying to keep her face neutral so that no one could see how nervous this was making her. Her legs were so thankful to be standing that she couldn't bring herself to sit.

Jenny paced the room a total of thirteen times before she realized that something was wrong. Nothing overt, really, just a feeling of something not being right. She paused, her senses prickling. Yes, she felt it… a kind of humming energy in the air. If she really stretched her ears, she could pick out a faint wailing in the distance. _A lost child_, she told herself uneasily, but wasn't entirely convinced. There was something almost… inhuman about it. Nervously, she looked over her shoulder, but of course there was nothing.

Jenny laughed at herself. She had way too much imagination to handle. What did she expect to see, Frankenstein's monster? She shook her head and finally went to sit in one of the plastic chairs, wondering why it was taking so long for the Tsukino family to arrive. Maybe they were caught in traffic. Jenny didn't know anything about traffic in Japan, but since Tokyo was a large city, she decided it was likely.

That was when she heard the voice.

If one could call that unearthly whisper a voice. Jenny's head shot up and her spine prickled at the sound. It was soft, a low rumble in a language she didn't recognize. She cocked her head slightly, trying to understand, but it was definitely not Japanese or English. The sound was repeating in a strange rhythm; it would go for a few seconds, fade and then stop entirely for a moment before restarting in a rich baritone. This repeated until Jenny thought her skin would melt right off her bones in fright.

Feeling a little foolish, Jenny looked around, but no one else seemed to notice anything unusual. She took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Now was not the time to start hearing voices. How ironic… she had told Melissa that she would go crazy if she stayed in San Mantego, but maybe living in another country would make her truly insane.

She was trying to reassure herself that it was nothing but her jet-lagged brain playing tricks on her when the wall behind her exploded.

Jenny leapt up with a shriek and rushed forward, half running, half being pushed by the panicking crowd. _Well, at least I'm not crazy_, she thought, trying to be optimistic despite the pit in her stomach. She was a safe distance from the smoke when she suddenly gasped and stopped, very pale.

"My backpack," she moaned and tried to struggle free from the squirming crowd. Irrational though it may be, she couldn't leave it. Inside was her sketchbook and many of her art supplies, like the pastels and watercolors. To her, they were more precious than gold, and if it meant being burned alive, she had to save them.

Escaping from a mass of panicking people was difficult, but Jenny managed to free herself from the screaming, writhing crowd and dashed back to the waiting area. _Mom, please forgive me,_ she thought desperately, _but I can't leave my art stuff. I just can't_!

The smoke overwhelmed her eyes, and she coughed as she tried to see through it. Luckily, no one was lying around hurt, but the area itself was a disaster, with chairs, papers and luggage strewn all around. There was no fire, despite all the heavy, black smoke concentrated in a blob at the ceiling, smelling of sulfur and burnt flesh. Resisting the urge to gag, Jenny dashed into the rubble and frantically pushed aside debris, coughing and choking until she found her backpack.

Almost crying with relief, Jenny picked it up and brushed the dust away. It looked alright, a little dirty, but undamaged. She swung it onto her back, much happier. But her good feelings only lasted a moment, for suddenly the air was filled with the roaring that often accompanies the absolute sound of disaster, and Jenny heard the voice again. Not whispering this time: speaking loudly, demanding attention.

And, she had a chilling feeling that it was directed at her.

Jenny decided to run. _Fast_. She was about to take off after the retreating crowd, when she glanced up at the ceiling and froze. The smoke, she discovered, was not smoke at all, but rather a huge black _thing_ floating near the ceiling. It was pulsing with life, almost a heartbeat, and with every second it was growing larger.

Her mouth dropped open. No, it wasn't getting bigger. The thing was coming closer. Jenny felt her body shake with fear as it floated towards her. She edged backwards. The deep voice was speaking more softly now, almost a gentle caress, but just as deep and alien. Jenny wanted to scream. She wanted to run away to safety, but couldn't seem to tear her eyes from the giant shape coming closer.

Her back hit against a wall and she felt a sudden panic when she realized that she was trapped. The black thing rushed forward and swelled around her until she was completely cornered. Her backpack slid from her shoulder and hit the ground with a thud, but she didn't care anymore. Forget her art… what good would it do her if she was going to die?

A soft wind came from the thing as it pulsed. Jenny was too frightened to make a sound. The voice continued speaking the strange language to her, louder, but this time it trailed off with a drawn-out moan of… sorrow? Jenny sucked in her breath, confusion mingling with her terror. There was a faint sound like weeping in the midst of the howling wind, but this didn't lesson her fear. Especially when a long black arm formed in the smoke and reached for her.

_Oh my God_, Jenny thought in wonder. _I really _am_ going to die_.

But instead of strangling her like she was sure it would, the hand reached higher and she felt a strange tingling sensation along her jaw line. It was _touching_ her. Jenny trembled as the strange coolness swept over her cheek. Why was it doing that? Why not just kill her and get it over with? She felt angry at the creature for drawing out her death.

And then in one second, everything changed. Jenny wasn't afraid anymore. It wasn't going to kill her. She didn't know why the bastard was hovering there, stroking her cheek, but she'd had enough. Carefully, she tried to step away, but another arm formed from the black mass and shoved her against the wall, pinning her shoulders back so she couldn't move.

Okay, this was _really_ not good.

Jenny swallowed and tried to look at the black thing without crying. The howling wind had blown the hair tie from her ponytail, and her red hair was now sweeping across her face. The thing started touching her again, and as Jenny stared at it in numb shock, she understood what it was saying. She didn't know how, but suddenly among the rambling words she recognized three. She wasn't sure if they were spoken in Japanese, English or even Swahili, but she knew the meaning.

_Come with me_.

At this, Jenny opened her mouth and finally gained the courage to scream.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

Miracles do not happen.  
-Matthew Arnold

Jenny's scream pierced the air. The horror of the moment was overwhelming, and she could think of nothing but _no, no, no, no, no_! To her surprise, her scream seemed to startle the creature, and it drew back sharply, as if the sound had been a verbal slap. Jenny's voice died at the movement, and she decided to take advantage of its falter to run, but the creature sensed her intention and swooped over her again to grab her arm.

How it could hold onto her was a mystery, since whenever she tried to kick, hit and bite it, her arms and legs passed through as if it were only shadow and mist - and yet she could feel its icy grip on her arm, squeezing tighter the more she tried to escape. Strands of red hair blew into her eyes from the cold wind, and she tossed her head in an angry attempt to see. She hated the creature for not being something tangible she could fight.

The smoky arm was trying to drag her forward into its horrendous mass of black. Jenny struggled and dug her feet into the ground, but despite her efforts, she felt herself sliding. She was having a hard enough time dealing with this thing on the outside… she didn't want to think about what might happen if she was pulled into its center.

_Where's security in this place_? she thought as a single tear dripped down her left cheek. _Where's help when you need it_?

And then, unexpectedly, help came.

She wasn't sure what happened at first. One moment, she was struggling with the smoky creature, and then suddenly she was flung backwards and hit the wall with a painful thud that made her lose her breath. She heard the creature howl as she slid to the ground, rubbing her shoulders, but didn't comprehend the reason. Her mind had stopped functioning. After a moment, Jenny looked up uncertainly, and was relieved to see that it was no longer watching her. And then she saw why.

Of course it wasn't interested in her. If she was sizzling with green and blue electricity, she wouldn't be paying attention to anything but the pain, either. The smoky shape writhed and screamed as it flashed, as if attempting some bizarre dance. Unexpectedly, there was a sharp stab of pity in her chest, quickly drowned out by shock when she saw who was behind the creature. A girl, looking tall and beautiful, though her lips were curled with hate, stood before the awed crowd. Jenny's mouth gaped open in amazement. It was one of _them_. Japan's famous senshi. And she had always thought they were a hoax…

The young warrior lifted her arms, did a little twirl and shot more electricity at the creature. A huge black head formed out of the smoky mass, and its mouth opened in a deafening howl of pain. Jenny couldn't take her eyes off the girl, moving with such grace and determination as she fought. The energy coming from her was crackling and alive, glowing with iridescent colors that lit the faces of the watching crowd. Strangely, the creature didn't seem to be trying to defend itself. Jenny wondered if this was because it couldn't.

Jenny would have sat there forever, staring stupidly at the scene, if a jerk on her upper arm hadn't brought her crashing back to reality. "Jenny, _what_ are you doing? Come on!" Jenny blinked up into Alyson's frightened violet eyes and long, swirling hair, and hardly knowing what was happening, she felt herself being pulled to her feet and tugged away.

"No… stop. I want to watch," Jenny protested weakly. She stumbled as she tried to twist out of the other girl's grasp.

Alyson paused and steadied her, looking anxious. "What's happening?" she demanded, but Jenny didn't answer, for she was already staring back at the creature and her savior, transfixed. As if sensing her gaze, the huge smoky head turned and looked directly at her. Alyson gasped and started backing away, but Jenny couldn't move, paralyzed under the creature's eyeless stare. She felt oddly fascinated.

When it spoke in the same low voice she had heard earlier, she found again that she understood. "I'll be back," it said, those black lips lifting up into a creepy smile. "I'll be back… for _you_." And then with one last look of promise and a final poof of smoke, it was gone. Startled gasps and cries rose from the crowd around her.

Jenny stood rigidly, staring at the spot where the creature had been. She felt numb, both surprised and confused by its words and sudden exit. It was a moment before she realized that the girl who had saved her, Sailor-something-or-other, was watching her. Their eyes met, and silently they regarded each other, until the girl lifted her hand in a final salute and hopped off into the crowd. Startled, Jenny took a stumbling step forward, her hand outstretched.

"No, don't go," she whispered. "I want to ask you…" But the girl, too, had disappeared. Jenny's vision blurred. Her head hurt as a mass of colors swirled around her. Disoriented, she took a few stumbling steps back, trying to regain her balance, but her knees gave out. For a moment, she could feel herself falling, but before she hit the ground, arms wrapped around her and there was a voice. A soothing voice, not the deep, terrifying growl of the creature.

"It's okay, it's okay… I've got you. You're safe with me now."

_Alyson caught me,_ Jenny thought dizzily, her only coherent thought in the midst of her confusion. There was a warmth flowing through her body, pushing away all feelings of panic. The storm in her mind slowly dulled to a simple darkness as she was gently lowered to the ground, and she vaguely realized that her eyes were shut. Slowly, she opened them, and after a quick blinding light, she was confronted not by Alyson's wide purple eyes, but eyes of the most vivid azure blue she had ever seen. The kind of eyes that held an inner light, containing all the secrets of the soul. Her own eyes swept over the face curiously, and she felt a flush as she took it in.

Quite simply, this was the most gorgeous guy she had ever seen He had shining black hair and perfect features, twisted into a mask of concern. For _her_… a complete stranger! Of course, her initial reaction to his being male was: Boy. Run. But there was something about this Japanese boy with the warm blue eyes that made her realize he was different from the ones she had known back in San Mantego.

His lips were moving and a few seconds passed before the words sank into her brain. "Are you okay?"

Jenny allowed herself a nod. It was all she could do. The boy smiled, obviously relieved, and Jenny felt a leaping flutter in her chest. Her mind was whirring again, filled with fantasies of herself and this boy. Sure, she had never really given a damn about boys before, but why not start now? And besides, what could be a more romantic first meeting than falling into his arms?

Her lips parted and she was about to ask his name when a high, frantic voice broke through the hazy mist of her fantasies. _Go away, leave us alone,_ she thought with irritation, but the beautiful boy was already looking up and answering.

Another girl was coming into view, and Jenny recognized the hairstyle before the face. _Hello, Tsukino Usagi,_ she thought as she blinked into the bright lights of the airport. _We meet at last._

She was about to call out a pleasant greeting when Usagi dropped to her knees beside the boy and asked, "How's the girl?"

_The girl_. Jenny knew she shouldn't, but she took offense to the way Usagi hadn't bothered looking at her when she asked. Still, her new sister was allowed a few quirks, so she decided to ignore it and took a deep breath before sitting up. Seeing the movement, Usagi glanced over, and her mouth dropped open in a soft 'o' of surprise.

"Oh, it's you!" she cried and covered her mouth with her hands. Feeling satisfied for receiving some kind of reaction, Jenny sat back into a more comfortable position, and shook her head, trying to clear the befuddlement caused by the boy. A light pressure on her arm told her that Alyson was kneeling at her side, and Jenny smiled at her gratefully before looking back at Usagi. She opened her mouth to try saying 'hi' again, but Usagi wasn't looking at her.

"What _happened_?" she asked the boy, and Jenny bit her tongue to fight back a quick stab of jealousy when he turned his eyes from her to frown at Usagi.

"I don't know," he said regretfully. "I came near the end of it. All I saw was this girl fainting, so I caught her. Why that look? Do you know her?"

Another glance from Usagi's wide blue eyes. She looked miserable. "She's my exchange student. Oh Mamo-chan, you don't think… what if they _knew_…?"

Now both were looking at Jenny, and she squirmed under their solemn stares. What were they _talking_ about?

"Coincidence," the boy finally said. "It has to be. I don't know how they could have known."

"But what if she was targeted because… because…"

"No. Don't think about it."

"I'd feel awful if…"

"It wasn't," the boy said sharply, and tried to smile at Jenny and Alyson. Jenny, still a little dizzy, smiled back, and was disappointed when his eyes swung to the side where two other girls were approaching: a short red-head and an even shorter girl with purple hair. Jenny didn't care. The only one she cared about had deep blue eyes that made her heart race.

"Who are you?" she whispered, and was rewarded with another beautiful smile.

"Chiba Mamoru," he said. "And you're Jenny-san. I know." Jenny tried to hold his gaze, to make him keep looking at her, but he was already turning back to Usagi.

"And what happened to you?"

_Who cares,_ Jenny thought. _Look at _me_! I'm the one who was just in mortal danger!_

"I tripped," Usagi said with a goofy smile, "and got stepped on by about twenty panicking people. Naru-chan and Christine came and picked me up, but I ran after you. They must have thought I was crazy."

"We still do," the red-head said with a shake of her head. "What possessed you to run off like that? _Both_ of you?"

Usagi looked nervous. "We, uh, just thought we might be able to help. No… stop it, Mamo-chan, I'm fine."

Jenny's eyes widened as she watched Mamoru take Usagi's chin in his hand and tilt it at different angles, checking for scratches and bruises. With a sudden flash of fire in her cheeks, she understood. It should have been obvious from the beginning. Why hadn't she seen the way they looked at each other, the way Mamoru's eyes and voice had softened when she came near? Jenny felt extremely stupid for believing he could fall for her when someone as beautiful as Usagi was around. She desperately wanted to look away as they smiled at each other, but couldn't. She felt shocked and hurt, almost as if Mamoru really had been hers, and she'd just discovered his infidelity.

A strong dislike for Usagi was filling the void in her chest. What right did the blond bitch have to take away all her hopes and thoughts of future romance? _None_, Jenny thought with growing passion. From that moment on, it would be war between her and Usagi, and may the best girl win.

And there sat poor Usagi, smiling in the middle of Jenny's heated vision, not having the slightest idea that she had just made an enemy.

"Jenny, what are they saying?" Alyson suddenly demanded, and Jenny blinked to rid herself of the steam clouding her thoughts. The sharp voice pulled Usagi and Mamoru out of their happy little world, and they once again focused on the foreigners.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Usagi said sweetly with concern. "Are you okay?"

_Yeah, I bet you're sorry,_ Jenny thought, and her annoyance came out in the form of words.

"No!" she yelled. "I am _not_ okay! I came to Japan understanding that there would be four dangers." She lifted her hand and started counting on her fingers. "1. earthquakes 2. volcanoes 3. Godzilla and 4. sushi. Getting attacked by hideous black shapes was not part of the contract, and I _want out_!"

She was rewarded by a panel of stunned faces, and didn't realize that she had yelled in English until Alyson said, "But Jen… Godzilla isn't real. Are you sure you didn't hit your head?" Jenny sighed and closed her eyes, not bothering to translate for the non-English speaking part of the crowd.

She soon discovered that she didn't have to, for Mamoru's voice told her, in only lightly accented English, "This doesn't happen every day, and I'm sorry that it had to happen to you. Please don't judge us all by this event. And your friend is right: Godzilla doesn't exist." Jenny opened surprised eyes and saw him smiling at her. A little embarrassed, she returned the smile, just the right corner of her mouth turning up.

Usagi and the redhead were still looking confused, but the purple-haired girl was giggling, and Jenny realized that just because she was in Japan, she shouldn't assume that no one understood her native language.

"So what happened?" Mamoru asked, this time switching back to Japanese for the benefit of the others. Jenny blinked at him.

"I don't know. There was this black… thing. Creature. It looked like smoke, but it wasn't. When I tried to hit it, my arm went through as if it was invisible, but it grabbed me and tried to pull me into it. And then one of the senshi came," Jenny said, her eyes lighting with the memory. "I think she attacked it with lightning. Alyson pulled me out of the way, and then the monster disappeared and the girl left. That's… that's about it."

She looked at Mamoru hopefully, but found him looking at Usagi. _Damn_, she thought, but that didn't change the fact.

"Lightning," Usagi whispered and frowned at Mamoru before turning to meet Jenny's gaze. "What color was the skirt. Was it green?"

Jenny blinked. "No. It was yellow."

"Yellow?" Usagi and Mamoru exchanged another glance. Jenny was getting irritated. What was the big deal? Who _cared_ what color the skirt was, and did they _really_ have to keep looking at each other like that?

"Are you sure it wasn't… maybe orange?" Usagi asked skeptically.

"Of course I'm sure, stupid," Jenny said, glaring at Usagi for suggesting such a thing. "You don't see something like that and forget. I'm going to remember every detail for the rest of my life!"

"Okay," Usagi said, taken aback by her tone. Jenny groaned in frustration and brought a hand to her mass of tangled hair. Usagi was watching her warily, looking slightly hurt, and Jenny did not want to start feeling guilty on top of everything else, so she glanced over at Alyson and saw her deep in conversation with the purple-haired girl. Alyson was glowing, and Jenny guessed that she was pleased to finally find someone speaking English.

Sensing her stare, the small girl looked up and smiled at Jenny. "I'm sorry," she said in a sweet voice, in Japanese. "That must have been horrible. They must be used to it here, though. Look. Everyone is already walking around normally, not concerned in the least. Me, I'm from France and I would have fainted if I saw what you did. But them… it makes no difference, as if it's an everyday occurrence."

Usagi and Mamoru looked at each other significantly. "You have no idea," Jenny's blonde nemesis muttered darkly.

0 0 0

That night, Usagi lay awake in bed, thinking about the day. Even then her face burned as she flushed with anger at the memories. Jenny, although an immediate hit with the rest of her family, had been noticeably chilly to her after leaving the airport. At first, she had assumed it was merely shock from being attacked, but throughout the day, while Jenny had smiled and laughed with everyone else, the girl's arctic blast hadn't lessened towards Usagi one bit. Every five minutes or so, just when Usagi was starting to feel comfortable with her new houseguest, Jenny had shot her a nasty look.

_Why_? Usagi had gone over in her mind everything that had happened in the airport a thousand times, trying to figure out what she had said to offend the girl. From the moment they met, Jenny had seemed to hate her. Even in the car trip home, while she chatted away happily with the others, she made a point of ignoring everything Usagi said. Mamoru had told her she was imagining things when she mentioned it, but Usagi knew the truth: the American was a bitch. And in the face of all the unfounded hostility, Usagi had felt a wall of her own animosity growing throughout the day. If Jenny didn't like her, fine. She didn't have to like Jenny.

As if hearing her thoughts, Jenny whimpered across the room and rolled over in her sleep. Usagi glared at her through the darkness, hoping she wasn't always such a noisy sleeper. A silver patch of moonlight was shining through the window and lit up the younger girl's face, making her appear almost normal. Usagi knew better. Still, she couldn't help feeling a little sorry that Jenny had been attacked on her first day in Tokyo, especially now that she was asleep and unable to insult her.

Sighing, Usagi's thoughts turned more to the problem at hand. She could hardly stand the thought of facing another day like the one she just had. Like her or not, she was determined to make friends with Jenny, or at least come to a truce that would get them through the coming year. But _how_? How did one pacify a beast? Slowly, a plan came into her mind - just a little trickle of an idea that turned into a thought. Usagi smiled at her cleverness. So simple… and all she had to do was call Nick.

Feeling extremely pleased with herself, Usagi shut her eyes and prepared to dream pleasantly without interruption, but soon found this was impossible. Jenny's thrashing and moaning was becoming progressively worse. Usagi sat up with a grimace. If this continued, she wouldn't be able to sleep. Wearily, not quite knowing what she was going to do, Usagi stood and started across the room towards Jenny's bed.

The moonlight cast eerie shadows across the room from the open window. Usagi shivered. Although it was late summer, the chill from outside was positively wintry. She leaned over the bed to slide the window shut before looking down at Jenny and noticing with a start that there was a sparkling stream of wetness on her cheeks. Tears. Usagi stared in disbelief at the girl's face, which twisted in an expression of fear as she moaned and cried out, "No, _stop_!"

A nightmare, Usagi realized. Softly, feeling a great deal more kindly towards the girl who was obviously suffering, she reached out and gently shook Jenny's shoulders. "Hey, wake up. It's okay." Shake shake. "Come on, Jen-chan. It's just a dream." Shake shake shake.

Jenny's eyes flew open, and immediately her shaking subsided, but her frightened eyes darted around the room. When they landed on Usagi, she relaxed. "Oh, it's you," she said in a peaceful tone that surprised Usagi. "Sorry, did I wake you? I guess I was having a bad dream."

Usagi wasn't sure why Jenny was being civil, but she liked the change. "What about?" she asked soothingly, her sisterly instincts kicking in. Jenny yawned and looked like she was about to speak, when suddenly she blinked and glanced up at Usagi in horror, fully awake. She sneered.

"Why should I tell _you_?" she snarled and flipped over, pulling the sheets tightly over her head. Usagi stood fuming for a few seconds, glaring down at the silent figure, before spinning around and returning to her own bed. She tried to calm herself, thinking about the plan. But really, whether it worked or not, Usagi was beginning to think that caring about what Jenny did wasn't worth it.

She crawled into bed and closed her eyes, resolving not to think anymore.

0 0 0

On the other side of the room, Jenny lay awake, shaking under the covers. She was going over the nightmare she had just had in her mind. It had been of the creature that attacked her, except this time when it grabbed her, it poured its thoughts and powers into her until she was just like it… evil and totally without remorse.

Jenny squeezed her eyes shut, more afraid than she had ever been.

0 0 0

"No."

"Oh, come on. It'll be fun!"

"I'm really not that into fun."

"_Jenny-san_!"

"I said no! Don't you understand the meaning of the word?" Jenny scowled at the fidgeting Usagi, and turned back to her magazine. Usagi frowned. This was an unforeseen obstacle to the plan.

"Well, why not?"

"I have no interest in meeting one of your little Japanese friends," Jenny said, her eyes fixed on the text in front of her. Usagi was seeing red. If only her family could see their perfect new daughter now… but they were always conveniently away when Jenny was being difficult.

"Did I mention he's American?" Usagi said, desperately trying to keep her voice neutral. Jenny didn't even blink as she turned a page.

"Even worse."

Usagi felt like screaming. Why why _why_ did their exchange student have to be this girl? She would have taken anyone else, even a convict as long as she acted civil! "What are you going to do?" she exploded, unable to contain her frustration any longer. "Stay here all night? Alone?"

"That was the plan, yes." Jenny's lips curved slightly, making Usagi even more furious. If this was amusing her, Usagi refused to bother any longer. She let out a angry squeal and stomped away into the kitchen.

Meanwhile, Jenny lay on the living room sofa with a grin. She had never known that being a bitch was this much fun. Of course, Usagi never failed to rise to the occasion, but still… Jenny's eyes scanned the page in front of her, something about an up-and-coming J-Pop star, but her brain refused to comprehend. She really wasn't in the mood for reading. With a sigh, she tossed aside the magazine and rubbed her temples.

Despite her firm decline, there was a mini-war going on in her mind. Part of her really was horrified by the idea of going on a double date with whatever loser Usagi had chosen, but the other was thrilled by the prospect of seeing Mamoru again. She bit her lip. The thought of being around him for an entire evening was tempting, but was it worth having to entertain some stupid, drooling, hormone-crazed boy all night?

Jenny smiled suddenly. The answer was crystal clear. "Hey, Usagi, wait! I changed my mind."

0 0 0

Nick critically eyed his reflection in the visor mirror. Why he bothered, he didn't know, for he nearly always looked great. He ran a hand through his smooth, dark hair, watching it lift briefly before falling back into place. Chocolate eyes lit up in the light from the car behind them as he smiled. He was more than ready.

Mamoru tried his best not to look at Nick during this ritual, but one annoyed glance leaked out. "Do you have to keep doing that?" he asked irritably.

"Sure," Nick said seriously. "I have to be in top form. Usagi wants me to tame the wild beast, right?"

Mamoru frowned. "She has a name. Aren't you even a little curious about her?"

"What does it matter? Jane, Laura, Jill… they're all the same." He laughed and Mamoru looked at him disapprovingly before glancing over his shoulder and merging into the other lane.

"She was exaggerating. You know how she does that. Jenny really didn't seem that bad. A little high-strung, maybe, but who wouldn't be after being attacked like that?"

Nick grinned, the mischievous grin that Mamoru had learned to dread. "No problem. Just let me handle her, and by the end of the night, the girl will be so under my spell that she won't remember her own name."

Mamoru raised an eyebrow. "Honestly, I fear for her sanity. Promise me you'll behave yourself. I've only known one girl who can handle you… How is Dalila, by the way?"

Nick's nonchalant shrug didn't quite mask his frown. "Okay, I guess. She really hasn't been around. I've tried calling her, but some girl always answers and says she's not there. I thought I'd try stopping by this weekend. I don't know what's up, if she's avoiding me or what, but Lila has always been a bit eccentric… You know, she still hasn't given me a reason for kicking me out. It was just: You. Out. I've never had the heart to disobey her, so I went."

"Much to my benefit," Mamoru said bitterly. Nick grinned at him.

"I know. Thanks."

"No problem," Mamoru answered, a little surprised by Nick's words of gratitude. They drove in silence for a while longer until Mamoru said, "Hey Nick? Good luck."

Nick shrugged and looked out his window. Good luck… not that he needed it. Girls were never a problem. He knew how to handle them. He always had known. No matter their exterior differences, they all proved to be the same in the end, totally captivated by his charm if he played them right. There was no reason that Usagi's Little Miss America should give him any trouble.

No reason at all.

0 0 0

"How do I look?"

Jenny looked up just in time to see Usagi twirl into the room in a pretty blue sundress. _Beautiful, as usual,_ she thought bitterly, but said nothing. This didn't bother Usagi as she fluttered by. Ever since Jenny had agreed to go on the stupid date, Usagi hadn't seemed to care about her opinion anymore.

Usagi stopped her happy little dance and her sapphire eyes rested on Jenny. "Are you going to wear _that_?" she asked in surprise, distaste in her voice. Jenny looked down at herself. She was wearing her favorite new jeans and a fitted, black Offspring shirt. High fashion for her.

"Yes," she said defiantly.

"But you look…" Usagi clamped her mouth shut when Jenny raised her head, frowning.

"I look great. Can we go now?"

"Will you at least comb your hair?" There was a note of pleading in Usagi's voice that surprised her. Why did she care? Rather than obey, Jenny reached into her pocket for a hair tie and pulled the mass of red behind her into a messy ponytail.

"Happy?"

Usagi sighed. "It's better."

A light knock came on the door to break the slightly awkward silence, and Usagi's eyes lit excitedly. She hurriedly straightened her skirt and patted her hair before rushing forward to answer. Jenny raised a surprised eyebrow behind her back. She was excited to see Mamoru too, but the intensity of Usagi's smile was beyond anything Jenny felt. For an instant, she felt guilty for deliberately trying to hurt her, but immediately shook the thought away when she heard Mamoru's voice.

Usagi's sparkling laugh floated back to her, calling out, "Come on, Jenny-san! They're here." Jenny raised a self-conscious hand to her head. Maybe Usagi had been right… maybe she _should_ have made more of an effort… But really, if any boy was going to like her, it would be for herself, not the way she dressed.

Jenny sighed and stepped forward, pushing her uneasy feelings aside. Three voices were rapidly conversing in Japanese. Curiously, she listened for her date's voice, and felt a certain grudging admiration when she picked it out. If she hadn't been listening for an accent, she wouldn't have noticed one at all.Maybe he wouldn't be so bad… anyone who took the time to learn Japanese that fluently couldn't be a total idiot.

The boy laughed, and she thoughtfully tilted her head to the side. It was a nice voice, she decided, smooth and classy-sounding. Intelligent. Unexpectedly, Jenny's face flushed, and her heart started thumping more heavily in her chest. She scolded herself at this, annoyed. Linguistic genius or not, there was nothing about this particular voice that should affect her so. It was _Mamoru_ she was anxious to see.

Usagi poked her head around the corner. "Jenny, come _on_!" she hissed before disappearing again. Jenny took a deep breath and started forward. Later, she wondered if, before seeing him, some part of her already knew.

At first, she noticed nothing unusual because the boy was standing in shadow, shielded from her view. Her gaze immediately focused on Mamoru, illuminated in the porch light, and all her defenses dropped away. This was a mistake, because before she had a chance to gather her composure, the other boy moved into the light and said, "Ah, and is this the lovely Jodi… um, Jenny I've been hearing about?"

She saw him before he saw her, because he looked at Usagi with smiles in his eyes and laughed at something she said. What that was, Jenny never knew, because to her, the entire universe had gone silent and all she could see was the laughing boy with the nice voice in a halo of light. It could have been a dream… but it wasn't. This moment was more real to her than anything else that had happened since arriving in Japan. Jenny's eyes swept over him in amazement. His dark hair was gleaming in the light, and his handsome face was relaxed in happiness. Yes, he had always been like that, so confident and carefree. Nothing could ever upset him…

Jenny's heart fluttered nervously when those brown eyes swung her way. She mostly dreaded the moment, and was unsurprised when, upon seeing her, he froze in astonishment and his mouth lost the ability to smile. The rest of the world dropped away as they stared at each other, forgetting the presence of the bewildered Usagi and Mamoru entirely.

An inner voice soon woke inside Jenny, casting away her shock and replacing it with a heated flame. Hatred and loathing welled up inside her like a dam about to burst. "You," she seethed, and watched the boy blink at her, his shock fading into the night.

"You," he echoed, in the voice of someone with hardly enough life or will to make a sound.

The air between them sizzled with electricity.


	5. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

I love him not, but shew no reason can  
Wherefore, but this, I do not love the man.  
-Rowland Watkyns

Nick recovered first - or at least, he pretended. Lips curved upward, but his eyes betrayed him, flashing apprehension rather than confidence. Jenny doubted the other two knew him well enough to see it. When Nick took the stage, whether in life or a play, the audience was blind to all but what he wanted them to see. The actor cleared his throat, certainly conveying calmness and cool disapproval of the girl before him, but she noticed that he glanced at Usagi, as if searching for an anchor, before addressing her.

"This _is_ a surprise. I thought I would never see you again."

The bitterness in his voice stung. Jenny's pride rose to the surface, smothering all other feelings that might have come forth. "Funny," she mused. "I was hoping you never would."

If Nick found his solace in pretending blue, Jenny was unable to feel anything but red. Fire rushed through her veins, a fire that only surfaced when he was around. Nick… in _Tokyo_… why had nobody said anything, even mentioned the remote possibility of running into him? Part of her wanted to scream and rage at the injustice, and the other…

"You know each other?" Mamoru asked. His voice broke the spell, and Jenny arranged her face into a look of disgust.

"Of course," Nick said easily. "Last time we met she slammed a door in my face."

"You deserved it," Jenny snapped. Mamoru looked sharply at his roommate, but Nick merely shrugged. Usagi gaped at them both, her mouth hanging open.

Standing there awkwardly, the chill of night breezing in from the open door, Jenny felt quite miserable. She had been looking forward to seeing Mamoru, to spending the evening with him, but now all that was shattered. Why, with the billions of men on the planet, did Usagi's friend have to be _Nick_? For years she had hated him, a thousand times more than Brian Dirkson; and if they thought she was going to place her personal feelings aside and put up with that jerk for even a minute so Usagi could get whatever satisfaction she wanted, they were mistaken.

"I'm sorry. I don't want to do this anymore," Jenny muttered.

Nick smirked. "That's right, run away. You're good at that."

"You would know." Jenny glared at him until he shifted his gaze.

Usagi laughed nervously. "Surely whatever happened between you two doesn't matter. Not tonight. We can still have a great time together."

"No, we can't," Jenny said firmly. "I'm not going anywhere with him."

Usagi opened her mouth to protest, but a look from Mamoru silenced her. He was frowning at Nick, his expression oddly intent, and Jenny wondered uncomfortably what Nick had told him. When Mamoru's blue eyes shifted to her, she froze, but seeing the uneasiness on her face, he only smiled and gave her a little nod before turning back to the whimpering Usagi.

"We'll go," he said softly, "The three of us. There's always next time, right, Jenny-san?"

"Yeah," Nick said sourly, "If she wants to be a little brat, fine. That's no reason to spoil our fun." He yelped as Mamoru irritably shoved him out the door. Usagi quickly followed, glaring over her shoulder, and before Mamoru turned after them, his eyes met Jenny's.

"Goodnight," he said peaceably. He shut the door.

Jenny never knew afterwards how long she stood in the hallway staring at the closed door. Eventually the reality of passing time pressed into her, and she sighed before heading for the stairs. She wished she could slow her heart, but it was impossible when her thoughts raced ahead at light speed. _Why_ was Nick in Japan? Was this another drawn-out scheme to torture her? But maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Tokyo was a big city. Surely it wouldn't be that difficult to dodge him. Feeling more confidant, Jenny entered the room she shared with Usagi.

Without bothering to change, Jenny crawled under the sheets of her bed and closed her eyes, but it was a long time before she could stop shaking.

0 0 0

The rest of the week passed without anything particularly remarkable happening. Jenny was grateful when the first day of school came, providing a break in the monotony. Although the rest of the family continued to treat her very warmly, Usagi was rarely around, running off to meet her friends at every chance, ignoring pointed hints from her parents that she should take Jenny with her. But Jenny didn't mind, especially if staying in the house meant avoiding Nick. So she amused herself as she could, drawing, dreaming, occasionally playing video games with Shingo, and tried her best not to think that somewhere out in the city, maybe only blocks away, was Nick.

Despite having looked forward to school all week, Jenny couldn't help feeling a little grumpy as she sat sipping her orange juice next to Shingo that morning. Usagi had done nothing to acknowledge her presence at the table - in fact, she had barely said a word to her since the night of the failed double date. If Mrs. Tsukino hadn't cheerfully announced to their mutual surprise that Usagi would walk her to and from school, Jenny was sure the offer would never have come.

The bulk of the walk was spent following Usagi rather than walking with her. Jenny didn't mind. She was absorbed in the morning activity of the Azabu-Juban neighborhood, from frowning businessmen anxiously checking their watches to skipping schoolchildren, calling out to friends they hadn't seen in weeks. Some stared as she walked by, and a group of middle school-aged girls actually pointed and laughed. Usagi scowled at them as she looked behind, but only gave Jenny a strange fleeting glance before continuing on her way.

A dense crowd of excited, chatting students barred the entrance to the school. Jenny soon lost sight of Usagi in the sea of faces, and began to gently push her way through, apologizing often. Once inside, she looked around with badly concealed awe. It was much larger than her old school, where her class of 108 had been the largest in years. But other than that, the crisp white walls, stern-eyed teachers and teenagers greeting one another provided a familiar scene. Jenny was struck with a sharp throb of homesickness, but she quickly brushed it aside. She refused to fall for that: this had been _her_ decision.

In distraction, Jenny impulsively stepped up to a passing blonde girl. "Excuse me," she said politely. "Where is the main office?"

The girl paused, and Jenny was relieved to see her smile. "Straight down the hall that way, turn right and it's the first door on your left. You're new here?"

"Yes," Jenny said, a little embarrassed. "I'm staying with Tsukino Usagi."

"Ah." There was a sparkle in the girl's blue-grey eyes as she looked her over. "You're Thomas-san, then?"

Before Jenny could reply, Usagi appeared at the girl's side and seized her arm. "Come on, Minako-chan, we're going to be late."

Her friend laughed. "When has that ever concerned you?"

"Let's go," Usagi urged, her tugs becoming more insistent. Minako gave Jenny an apologetic smile before succumbing.

"Okay, Usagi-chan, I'm coming. What's wrong? She seems nice."

"_You_ don't have to live with her." That was the last Jenny heard before the two girls were lost in the crowd. She stared after them, slightly hurt by the way Usagi had so blatantly dissed her in front of a friend. But Jenny vehemently told herself that she didn't care, and started down the hall Minako had pointed out.

She found Alyson leaning against the office door. "Hello," Jenny said happily, pleased to see a familiar face. Alyson looked up and Jenny briefly caught a glimpse of irritated purple eyes before she looked down again and scratched her wrist.

"I hate these stupid uniforms. They're itchy."

"It's nice to see you, too."

Alyson grinned. "Hi, Jen. Thank God you're here. I've been standing out here for like half an hour. Where _were_ you? Everyone keeps staring at me, and some lady came out of the office. I didn't understand a word she said, so I just waved her away and waited for you. I don't think she liked that."

"No, I don't imagine she did," Jenny said mildly, glancing through the glass into the office where a secretary sat, indeed looking furious.

Alyson shrugged. "Well, now you're here, so we can get this over with. My host-mom called the school and asked them to schedule us together, so I think everything will be alright." Her face was casual, but there was a hint of anxiety in her voice. Jenny smiled sympathetically. Being a _gaijin_ was awkward enough without being clueless about the language.

"A month here and I bet you'll speak Japanese better than me. Come on," Jenny said cheerfully, and went into the office. Alyson followed, much less enthusiastically. The secretary looked up as they came in, and immediately pointed to a closed door on the other side of the room. Her glasses were glowing with reflected light from the computer screen, and Jenny thanked her before pulling Alyson ahead. Before she could knock, the door swung open to reveal a short, smiling, stocky man. He waved at them gaily.

"Hello, hello," he cried, ushering them in. "We've been waiting for you."

_We_? thought Jenny with alarm. Her eyes flicked to a sofa against the back wall, where two other girls sat staring at her, one sulkily and the other with interest. They were both foreign, and looked just as out of place as Jenny felt. The small man smiled at them benignly, rocking back and forth on his heels. Light from the ceiling reflected off his shiny, bald pate.

"I am the principal, Tashida Makeo, and I welcome you to this school. I start each school year by welcoming our foreign guests, although this is the first time in years we have had so many. We promise to do everything we can to ensure your experiences at this school are educational and unforgettable. No exchange student has gone home unhappy, and we hope to keep it that way." He beamed at Jenny, and she smiled back faintly.

"That's… good."

"Jennifer Thomas, I presume." He consulted the papers he held. "And this must be Alyson Dunam? I understand that she has requested to be in your classes?"

"If you don't mind," Jenny said uneasily.

"Of course not. I think it's a splendid idea for you to help her out in the beginning. But if within a month she is unable to cope with the courses on her own, we will have to send her home. I don't know why anyone would apply for admittance to our school without fully understanding our language, or why we accepted them in the first place, but this year we've got three."

"Three?" Jenny looked again at the girls on the couch.

"Yes. Brenna O'Dell from Ireland and Kelly Virida from your country. They each speak Japanese, but not as fluently as you. Since you are already helping Dunam-san, I was hoping you would help these girls as well."

Jenny stared at him. She had been willing to help Alyson, but with the others tagging along, she might be translating nonstop. But then she remembered Usagi pulling the friendly Minako away from her earlier, and the feeling of hopelessness that followed. If she agreed, she would have an automatic built-in group of friends, so even if Usagi managed to make the rest of the school hate her, she'd have a few people to count on.

"I'll do it," she said eagerly.

"Splendid. Here are your schedules." And without further ado, the principal passed out the papers, and hurriedly shooed them from his office.

"Well, that was special," Alyson muttered as the door slammed behind them. "Jenny, _what_ is going on?"

"This is Kelly and Brenna. They're going to be in our classes."

The taller girl, Kelly, smiled. Although with friendly intent, the expression looked awkward, as if smiling was not something that came naturally to her. She towered at least half a foot above Jenny, who at 5'4" had never felt short until then. "Thanks for doing this," she said with a short laugh, in a low, almost masculine voice. "My trip to Japan was unexpected."

"No problem," Jenny said, shrugging. Kelly was a pretty Hispanic girl with green streaks dyed into her shiny dark hair and slanted olive eyes reminiscent of a suspicious cat. As she moved to scratch her shoulder, a silver ring with a glittering yellow stone flashed on her hand. Brenna said nothing, and simply looked bored as she tossed red hair over her shoulder. She was also very pretty, and despite disinterested green eyes, had an aura that hinted she was used to dominating every situation. Alyson stared at her with blatant dislike.

"We should get to class," Jenny said awkwardly in the silence that followed. And without a word of question, the three girls turned and obediently followed her down the hall, like a gaggle of geese trailing their leader.

0 0 0

The front of the school was mostly deserted, save a few stragglers leaving club meetings and sport practices. Jenny glanced at her watch and leaned back against the school building, feeling depressed. Shadows around her were slowly lengthening, creeping from their objects; clouds rolled overhead; and a crow squawked indignantly from a nearby tree. But Usagi did not come. Either she had forgotten or deliberately ignored her mother's request to walk Jenny home.

Not that Jenny was surprised. In the one class they shared, Usagi had avoided her eyes, choosing to stare resolutely ahead at the blackboard. And at lunch, when Minako waved her and the other girls over to their place under a tree, Usagi had kept her distance, chewing silently with her eyes on her lunch even as Minako and her friends, Ami and Makoto, chatted with Alyson, Brenna and Kelly. Jenny, likewise, hadn't said much. She was thinking about how to finally make peace with Usagi, seeing as this silence would make for a very uncomfortable year. Unfortunately, apologizing was not something she was good at, so she simply stewed in silence as she ate, and listened.

Despite her problems with Usagi, the day had actually been pretty good. It didn't take long for the four exchange students to become friendly, although Alyson initially complained to Jenny that Kelly was aloof and Brenna an airhead. To many of the students, they had been a curiosity. Hardly a moment passed between classes when they weren't halted by someone and grilled on everything from where they grew up, what kinds of food they ate and their blood types.

Heads turned wherever they walked, and boys especially seemed involuntarily drawn to Brenna. She had an almost magnetic attraction that she could turn on and off at will, with something as seemingly meaningless as a look or a laugh. Jenny had spent much of the day playing interpreter as Brenna flirted with nearly every boy that came her way in amateurish Japanese. During lunch, half a dozen boys had hurried over to her and offered to share their lunches. One even crept hopefully up to Kelly, but she merely snorted, sending him scurrying back to his friends, looking disappointed.

Yes, the day had gone well, and Jenny knew she would fit in… with everyone except Usagi, unfortunately. She looked again at her watch and then out at the street. The thought of wandering alone through an unfamiliar neighborhood was not a welcome one, and she chewed her lower lip for a few seconds before turning back to the school. With any luck, Usagi would be waiting at a side door, scowling at her tardiness.

She passed a girl on the way in, someone friendly from her Math class whose name she had forgotten. The girl smiled and bid her goodnight, but Jenny could only nod as she walked up the steps to the nearly deserted school. It was strange to see the hallways so empty, when only an hour earlier they had been teeming with life as students hurried to get home or off to cram school. Her footsteps echoed in the silence without carpet to muffle the sound, and fluorescent lights flickered overhead. Jenny reached one of the side doors and pressed her hands against the glass to look out. No Usagi. Shaking off her disappointment, she turned a corner and continued on.

Three doors later, Jenny was forced to accept that Usagi had left without her. She knew she shouldn't be surprised. Usagi was flighty and irresponsible - but Jenny hadn't thought she would deliberately abandon her. _So what_, she thought, angrily stomping towards a hall that cut through the middle of the school. She had always been self-sufficient. She didn't need someone to take her by the hand and lead her home.

The lights flickered as she walked, and this irritated Jenny's already aggravated state. At first she was too upset to realize they were blinking in and out only when she passed underneath. But understanding came, coupled with prickling fear and a chill of caution at the back of her neck.

Someone was watching her. She knew it with the same faint awareness she had felt in the airport. Jenny tried to keep her steps calm and her breathing even, the way she had once walked by a coyote she had come across in the desert. But how could she feign ignorance when cruel eyes were burning her back, moving closer all the time?

Something cold swept behind her. Jenny gasped and spun around, but an empty hall was all she saw. She let out her breath, relieved and a little embarrassed. She had never been like this before, jumping at things that weren't there. Her experience at the airport had left her with unresolved jitters, that was all. The idea that something was in her school, stalking her, was ridiculous.

The lights over her head went out.

Darkness spilled into the hallway, and Jenny's calmed heart immediately sprung back into action. She took a quick, stumbling step backwards, frantically looking from side to side. The chill returned, and it spread around her until her breath became cool mist. _Run_, her mind urged, but her limbs trembled too badly to work. Silence thickened the air… and the shadow came.

It was faint at first, a shimmering blob at odds with the darkness around it. But determinedly it crept towards her from the end of the hall, its billowing shape slowly expanding from floor to ceiling. Jenny's mouth fell open. She couldn't move, paralyzed by the invisible eyes that held her. But an unknown surge of courage rushed through her, and dropping her bag, she turned and ran. Almost immediately, something solid rose up before her, and Jenny slammed into it, unable to breathe. Then strong hands closed over her arms, and Jenny screamed and screamed…

The lights came back on. Jenny's wild eyes focused on what held her. It was an ordinary man in a janitor's uniform… not a shadow demon. "Are you okay?" the man asked doubtfully, and Jenny looked back over her shoulder, her chest heaving.

Nothing was there.

"But the shadow… did you see it?" she stammered stupidly. The man stared at her, more than a little alarmed.

"It was a power outage," he explained. "I'm sorry it startled you. Is that your bag?" At her shaky nod, the man went back to pick it up. Jenny wrapped her arms around herself, trying to calm her shivering. She took the bag when he held it out to her but avoided his eyes. Clearly, the only thing that worried him was her behavior. He hadn't seen the dark shape. Was she scaring herself for no reason?

"I'll walk you to the door," the janitor offered, and Jenny was grateful for his presence beside her as they walked through the school.

Outside, she breathed in the air happily, never more thankful for sunlight in her life. "Thank you," she said, turning back to the janitor. He was watching her warily, as if half-expecting her to start rolling around on the ground, speaking in tongues. "I just… it was so sudden, it frightened me. First day nerves, I guess." She laughed uneasily, and the man nodded before turning back to the school.

"That's okay. Take care of yourself."

"I will," Jenny promised. But he was wrong; it wasn't okay. Even in the sunlight, she could feel the presence watching her. She shook her head, trying to push away the feeling of paranoia, and walked over to the street. Before she turned, she glanced back and saw something glimmer at one of the windows.

_It wasn't my imagination_, she thought darkly, looking at the flickering shape for a few more seconds before hurrying away.

Finding her way back turned out to be much easier than she had thought. Familiar landmarks were everywhere, from oddly-shaped trees to stores with brightly-colored window displays. Pushing aside her fear, however, was not as simple. Darkness lingered in her mind despite the surrounding life; and every few blocks she glanced over her shoulder, just to make sure. When busy streets and shopping centers gave way to suburban neighborhoods, Jenny started to relax. She was close.

The suburban roads were mostly still, but when Jenny turned a corner, she saw a little girl with a long dark braid walking ahead of her. The girl's head was bowed, and she moved so slowly that Jenny felt sharp sympathy. Part of her wanted to race ahead and talk to her, but the hunched shoulders didn't exactly invite company. So Jenny kept her distance, her eyes resting on the girl curiously. She never took interest in strangers, and was surprised to find herself wondering who the girl was, and where she was going with such reluctant little steps.

Before she could ponder long, the ground began to rumble and shake. Jenny grimaced and put out her hands for balance. Great, an earthquake: just what she needed to round off the perfect day. The earth lurched violently with a horrible crunching sound, and a large crack appeared in the road, running right up to the sidewalk where the dark-haired girl stood. The shaking subsided so abruptly that Jenny staggered, feeling faint, but worse was to come. Impossible as it seemed, as much as Jenny blinked, hoping the vision would go away, something came _out _of the hole, first a head and then arms pulling up the body. The thing stretched, touching its toes and testing its movement. It looked at the little girl, and its lips curved into a grin.

Jenny didn't know why she did it. Every instinct she had was telling her to run, but somehow she was running towards it instead of away. It had been inching towards the girl, its blue claws extended ominously, but it paused when Jenny came skipping to a halt beside it. Jewel-blue eyes looked dumbfounded, and its rich orange scales flashed in the sun.

The girl looked at her with round dark eyes and a trembling mouth. Jenny was surprised to see that she was neither Japanese nor as young as she had thought, maybe thirteen or fourteen years old. "Run," Jenny urged, grabbing her by the shoulder, but before they could move, the creature got over its surprise and opened its mouth in a confident cackle.

"You stupid girl," it drawled, sparkling amusement and cruelty in those shiny eyes. "I'm sent out to scout for something to amuse my master, and run into the prize flower herself. How pleased he'll be with me." That repulsive orange arm lifted towards Jenny and she gulped, taking a few cautious steps backwards.

"You see," the youma said casually, as if commenting on the weather, "my master was displeased, so _very_ displeased, about you getting away at the airport. You were supposed to go with him, but now that you've escaped we must make the best of the situation. You have a choice to make, my dear."

Jenny was stunned that it knew who she was, and even more surprised that she had a voice when she opened her mouth. "A choice?"

"Yes," the creature affirmed pleasantly. "Either come with me quietly or I use force. The end is the same, and he prefers not to roughhouse you more than necessary. It is your decision."

"My decision?" Jenny's fear was washed away with a quick flash of anger. She hated the ugly youma and even more the arrogant shadow that was for some reason single-mindedly pursuing her. "If it's my decision, I choose to leave by myself."

The orange creature sighed. "Forcibly, then." Its long blue finger nails grew and shot out like ropes to encircle Jenny's body. Her arms were pinned to her sides before she had a chance to dart from the scene. She cried out as the sharp edges dug into her skin, and looked desperately at the silent girl, who watched them with a look reminiscent of a frozen doe.

"Run," Jenny begged her, but the girl frowned. There was something stubborn in her face as she clenched her fists. She wasn't leaving.

The orange demon was gleeful. "Two for one today!" it cried happily, reaching out the other arm.

"No!" Jenny screamed when the small girl was also tangled in the nails. But the youma laughed, pulling them closer. The girl's eyes started to close, and Jenny feared she was fainting, but suddenly there was a flash of light and the girl… glowed. Jenny's anger and fear were replaced with awe. A strange symbol was shining on the girl's forehead, scattering light.

The girl turned her head slightly, and behind her, trotting towards them on the sidewalk, was a large, rust-colored dog, head down and teeth bared. The girl's eyes were blank as the light from her forehead continued to flash. This was too much for the startled youma, and although its grip tightened around Jenny, it released the other girl and tossed her aside. She hit the sidewalk and lay still. The light immediately disappeared from her forehead, and the dog hurried over to nudge her gently. Then it looked up at the youma and growled before striking.

The youma shrieked and held Jenny out of the way while it clumsily tried to fend off the dog's attack with its free arm and leg. It slashed with its nails and the dog yelped, bleeding from a fresh cut in its side, but it was not deterred. The dog dove in again to close its jaws around the orange creature's ankle, and the corresponding howl of pain carried down the street.

For a moment, there was only the dog's angry barks and the youma's shrieks of pain, before another sound broke through the dull ringing in Jenny's ears. "_Powerstorm Flash_!" As if knowing its cue, the dog leapt aside to make way for blue-green lightning that was hurtling through the air. The screaming orange creature released its grip on Jenny and she went tumbling to the ground before the lightning hit. Jenny, sore and in shock, looked up dazedly to see the yellow senshi warrior who had saved her in the airport standing atop a fence.

The youma writhed under the lightning surrounding its body. It lifted a weak arm towards Jenny, who immediately scooted back, but the creature had no strength left to chase her. With a mournful cry, it started to shrink and melted into a puddle that gleamed and slithered back into the hole. The sidewalk closed after it and was still.

Jenny looked in wonder at the girl who had rescued her again, and was surprised to receive a little wink. "You okay?" the warrior asked, grinning. She brushed wayward strands of dark hair from her forehead.

"I… yeah. Thanks to you." Jenny closed her mouth and stared, not knowing what to say, except: "Who are you?"

A flash of white teeth. "Me? I'm no one. See ya!" The mysterious girl turned and prepared to flee.

"Wait!" Jenny cried in a panic and the girl paused, looking around with dark eyes. She hesitated, looking at Jenny oddly as if she wanted to say more, but then she hopped over the fence and was gone.

It took Jenny a moment to remember the other girl lying so still on the sidewalk. The dog was beside her, licking her face, and as Jenny crawled over, she was relieved to see her stirring. Brown eyes opened and looked startled to see the two faces peering down at her. The dog wagged its tail and smiled before turning and trotting off the way it had come. Slowly, the girl sat up with a hand to her head. She saw Jenny and cringed.

"It's okay," Jenny said quickly. "It's gone now. The dog and one of the senshi chased it away." She spoke in Japanese out of recent habit, and the girl responded fluently.

"The dog?" she said hesitantly.

"Yes. You called him, didn't you?" Jenny didn't know how, but suddenly she was certain of it. The small girl met her eyes levelly and shook her head, frightened.

"No," she whispered. "How could I? I've never seen it before." Looking at her anxious eyes, Jenny decided not to mention that she'd also been glowing. She changed the subject.

"I'm Jenny. What's your name?"

"Adiel Austin," the girl said. Unexpectedly, she smiled. She had very long lashes and a tiny beauty mark on one cheek.

"Austin. You're American, too?"

"Canadian." Adiel spoke English now. "My daddy's an ambassador." She looked closely at Jenny. "You came to help me," she said suddenly. "From that… thing. You didn't have to. Thank you."

Jenny blushed as she looked at the younger girl's honest face. Her forehead was blank now, but the glowing symbol Jenny had seen there was fixed in her memory. "I think we saved each other," she said casually. She stood and offered Adiel a hand.

"Come on. I'll get you home."

Adiel nodded and took her hand trustingly, and although both were wobbly, they walked together down the street without looking back.

0 0 0

Adiel lived in a stately mansion appropriate for an ambassador, complete with a fluttering Canadian flag dangling from the porch. She apologized for not inviting Jenny inside (her father wasn't fond of unannounced guests), but thanked her again for saving her, with an enthusiasm that made Jenny blush. Adiel looked a great deal happier than she had walking alone earlier that afternoon. When Jenny finally turned to leave, Adiel looked oddly small and helpless standing among the massive porch columns, but she was smiling.

Jenny limped home. She was so exhausted her knees were shaking. Part of her had considered calling the Tsukinos from Adiel's house, but she decided not to trouble them. At least, she was consoled knowing it was hardly possible for anything _worse_ to happen on the way home. After an addition twenty minutes and several wrong turns, she finally reached the street with great relief. She had been looking forward to relaxing with the family for the rest of the evening, but the angry voices she heard as she neared hinted at the impossibility of even that. Usagi and her father were standing on the porch arguing… and Nick was with them.

Seeing him standing there so coolly, his hands deep in the pockets of his jeans, Jenny stumbled. Oh, she _definitely_ did not need this, not when any semblance of control she had was in tatters after the unbelievably long day. Her first wild impulse was to sneak around to the side of the house and crawl in a window before any of them saw her, but she forced herself to hold her head high and continue forward. The only thing she wanted Nick to perceive from her was indifference - and running from him would create more problems than it solved.

She shouldn't have worried. Not one of them noticed her approach, so heated was the discussion between Usagi and her father. Jenny hesitated when she saw Mr. Tsukino's face. He had always seemed to her a kind and pleasant man, but now he was positively _livid _as he spoke to his daughter.

"…don't know why. You may think it's okay to run around picking up boys after school rather than taking care of our guests, but those are not the values of our family. She was your responsibility, Usagi. We asked you to look after her."

"I didn't leave her… I didn't mean to," Usagi faltered, looking ashamed rather than angry. She was oddly flushed. "It was… my friends… sort of an emergency…"

"An emergency?" Mr. Tsukino was turning purple. "And when did this young man turn up? I'm surprised you think meeting boyfriends is more important than your duties."

"He's _not_ my boyfriend! I just ran into him on my way home. He came to see Jenny. They're old friends."

Jenny was annoyed that Usagi was making her a scapegoat. She stepped forward and bitterly said, "He's no friend of mine." Conversation halted as three pairs of eyes looked at her and promptly widened in shock.

"What _happened_?" Mr. Tsukino asked in a horrified voice, rushing over to her. Jenny blinked and then glanced down at herself, for the first time realizing how horrible she must look. Her brand new uniform was dirty from crawling on the ground, and there were tears in both the shirt and skirt from the orange youma's razor-edged nails. She tried to smile, as if she came home looking like this every day, but Mr. Tsukino's fatherly instincts weren't fooled.

"I was attacked," she explained, trying to avoid his eyes. Somehow, she found herself looking at Nick. He made a quick movement as if to go to her, but she stopped him with a tiny shake of her head. He stared at her for a few more seconds and opened his mouth, but Usagi spoke first.

"_Again_? What's so special about you?"

"Usagi, that's enough!" her father said sharply, concern vanishing in the face of fury.

"No, don't worry about it," Jenny said quickly. "I completely agree." But Mr. Tsukino ignored the defense, and glared at his daughter as he put a comforting hand on Jenny's shoulder.

"Do you see what happened? If you had walked her home like you were supposed to, this wouldn't have happened! Honestly, I don't know what's gotten into you lately!"

"It's okay. She couldn't have stopped it. It's really not her fault," Jenny protested weakly just as Nick stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Jen, we need to talk."

Usagi and her father were arguing animatedly, ignoring them both. Jenny turned on Nick and dodged the hand he held out to her. "I have nothing to say to you," she hissed and without another look, she brushed past him into the house. She shut the door behind her, heart pounding, and then proceeded to climb the stairs. Her feet dragged, and her entire body winced when she heard the front door open. She turned her head, prepared to tell off Nick again, but it was Usagi, advancing angrily.

"What is your problem?" the small girl demanded, hands on her hips. "He came all this way to see you, and you didn't even let him say a word!"

Jenny's head hurt. "Look, Usagi, now is not the time…"

"I don't understand you! What happened to make you hate him so much? He's a great guy!"

"What do you know?" Jenny demanded as she spun around. Her eyes were tingling with repressed tears and she hated it. "You don't know him like I do. You don't know _anything_ about him, what he's like beneath that smile… Oh, please, Usagi, I really can't do this right now."

Usagi frowned, taken aback by her passion, but she looked doubtful. Jenny didn't care. She advanced the steps and was relieved when Usagi did not follow. Her move to Japan was supposed to be a fresh start, a new life, but with getting attacked by strange creatures, a hostile host-sister and Nick, she felt drained.

Jenny slammed the door to the room she shared with Usagi and limped over to her bed. Of course, she knew Usagi's hostility was her fault since she had done everything to make her hate her that first week, but even so she thought Usagi was being a little excessive in her rudeness. Especially considering that Jenny was becoming the target for supernatural activity in Tokyo.

Jenny slipped into her favorite jeans and a t-shirt and flopped back onto the bed, intending to nap. She closed her eyes, but a dull scratching on the window caught her attention. Her eyes snapped open at the sound, and horrifying images of the creeping shadow, Nick and the orange creature flashed through her mind, but when she looked she saw a small golden blob peering in. Her alarm disappeared. Curiously, she reached up and opened the window. Instantly, the gold blob bounced in.

"Hey," Jenny protested in surprise. She shut the window and sat back on her bed, looking at the creature uncertainly. It was a little orangey-gold cat, which far from being threatening, rubbed against her legs and purred. Jenny laughed despite herself and pulled it onto her lap. All tension from the day left her as she felt its wriggling, warm body in her arms.

"You little trespasser," she told the kitty happily and scratched behind its ears. It extended its head lazily. "You better not let anyone see you, or…" She broke off and looked at it more closely. This cat looked exactly like her own Cat, from the golden lion-like mane and blinking red eyes. A chill run across Jenny's back and along her arms. But it couldn't be him. It was impossible. Maybe she just had a flair for attracting that particular breed. Besides, her mom would have called and told her if Cat had escaped… And even if he had, how would he get to Japan? Cat's couldn't swim - not across an ocean!

"No," Jenny told herself with a short laugh. "You can't be." But he was rubbing against her and purring, so intimately… just as she remembered. Jenny flushed and pushed him aside, needing to think. When he tried to dart back into her lap, she stood and paced the floor. It had been a strange week, but there was no reason _everything_ in her life had to be from the Twilight Zone. There was such a thing as coincidence.

She turned back to the cat and pointed at it. "You are _not_ Cat," she told it sternly, mostly to assure herself. But her bones grew cold when the cat smiled - it actually smiled. A wide silly grin. Jenny stared.

"No," it agreed pleasantly. "I am not Cat, although that was your name for me not long ago. My name is Surya, and I have been searching for you for a long time, my princess."

Jenny looked at it for three more seconds before fainting.


	6. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

Lord, what fools these mortals be!  
-Puck (William Shakespeare), _A Midsummer Night's Dream_

The door slammed from the second floor. Usagi stood at the bottom of the stairs, one hand clenched on the railing. She was stunned. Moments before she had been sure Nick was the wronged one, but now Jenny's eyes lingered in her mind, glimmering with pain she had been unable to conceal. It had been so easy to direct blame onto Jenny; she wasn't a nice person, and she had been both uncivil and ungrateful since she arrived. Clearly if anything was wrong between them it was _her_ fault-but it hadn't been Nick trying to hold back tears. Usagi faltered on the spot. Part of her wanted to scoff at the idea of Nick hurting anyone, and the other fought a desperate urge to race after Jenny… and comfort her.

It didn't take much to suppress the latter.

Nick was waiting for her in the shade of the porch. His hands rested deep in the front pocket of his sweatshirt, and his expression revealed nothing, neither anger nor unhappiness. His stance, however, was not as straight as usual, displaying an unsettling lack of confidence that Usagi had never thought the flirty, mischievous Nick would show. She wanted to ask him so many things, but questions died on her tongue. Something about his face did not invite prying.

She started with: "My father…?"

Nick made an ambiguous motion towards the garage, from which nondescript banging sounds could be heard. Usagi ducked her head guiltily. "I'm so sorry. It wasn't your fault. He was upset with me because…"

"Don't worry. I get it." Nick smiled, but somehow it was only muscles moving around his mouth rather than conveying any particular feeling. Usagi was alarmed, especially when his eyes lifted to the second story of the house-to her bedroom, where a faint light could be seen through the curtains.

Her heart stirred. "Nick…"

"No." He shook his head. "Please, don't."

But Usagi summoned her anger. "She had no right…"

Nick lifted a hand to cut her off. He smiled bitterly. "It's complicated."

Usagi stared at him. Nick was usually so open and easy to talk to, carelessly letting out information without thought or consequence. Now, she may as well have been trying to converse with the wall he stood by. She wished he would talk to her. Whether it was her business or not, she wanted to know (she _had_ to know) what was underlying Nick's stony silence and Jenny's raw hurt.

"What…"

"I should go." Nick nodded to the road and smiled at her-this time a real smile, although perhaps lacking the vibrancy of the Nick she thought she knew. "Thanks, kid. I mean it. But lay off her a bit, okay? I don't blame her for anything."

"Wait…"

"I'll see you later."

Usagi watched him go, his slightly hunched shoulders incongruous with the sunny street around him. Despite his words, she did blame Jenny. Nick had always been happy before she came.

_In what world_, she thought grumpily, as she stomped back into the house, _could he ever have done something to hurt her_?

Luna was in the kitchen, sitting beside a pile of freshly-made cookies. Her tail was twitching. "Don't you start, too," Usagi warned, plopping into a chair beside her and grabbing a cookie. She bit.

Luna ignored her. "I feel sorry for that girl, having to find her way back alone, and then getting attacked for the second time in a week."

Crumbs spewed from Usagi's mouth. "How was I supposed to know that would happen? You think I would have left her if I had? Rei-chan had a vision. Even you would have thought that was more important than babysitting a girl more than old enough to take care of herself."

Luna frowned. "You could have brought her…"

"And what? Told her to wait outside and play with the crows while I locked myself in the temple with my friends? She would have loved that."

"But you didn't try. You could have left her a note. She was your responsibility."

Guilt tugged in Usagi's chest. Her father had said the same thing. "Okay… so maybe I could have handled it better. But this is the first time since… you know, that there has been any hint of danger. I had to check it out."

Luna immediately sobered. "What did Rei-chan see?"

Usagi didn't speak for a moment, her fingers idly tracing the edge of the table. "Shadow," she said slowly.

"That's it?"

"No. Whatever it is, it's strong. Rei-chan felt so much hatred around it. And it's looking for something. All its energy is focused on the search."

"Couldn't be Jenny, could it?" Luna asked tartly.

Usagi laughed, and then stopped. Luna's narrowed eyes were serious. "That's crazy," she said finally.

"Is it? If this 'shadow' is a danger for the entire city, why aren't there other victims? Why has it only gone after Jenny?"

"I don't know. Maybe it was just her bad fortune to be the first target, and then she said something to piss it off in the airport, so now it's after her."

Luna's eyes were hard. "You should talk to her."

"Why? You heard the door slam. She doesn't want me." Usagi bit her tongue. It made her feel strange, saying the words aloud. Jenny didn't want her. She shouldn't have cared. There was no reason why that should hurt-but it did.

"She's lonely," Luna continued. "She's thousands of miles from home, and she keeps getting attacked. She has no one to talk to."

"I tried! You know I tried." Usagi indelicately flung her half-eaten cookie onto the table and glared at it. "What more do you want me to do? I can't cure her personality disorder just by being nice. And it's not my problem that she has a flair for being attacked, either."

"Sailormoon has gone on holiday, has she? Anyway, I never thought Tsukino Usagi was cold enough to turn away someone in need."

Usagi blinked quickly and turned away. So many things were rushing through her mind that she didn't know how to express: confusion, guilt, sadness, worry. She wanted to say something to Luna, to let her know that she _did_ care, but before she could form words, a conspicuous 'THUMP' came from the floor above.

Usagi and Luna looked at each other. Luna frowned. "Did you hear that?"

"Yes." Usagi sprung to her feet, fists clenched. "I bet she's destroying my room!" She raced up the stairs, Luna at her heels, and flung open her bedroom door without reserve. Contrary to expectation, her room appeared to be in perfect order; but Jenny lay on the floor, a tumble of red hair half-concealing her pale face. Usagi let out an involuntary cry and stepped forward, but then stopped when she saw what was sitting on Jenny's bed.

It was a miniature lion, about the size of Luna, looking completely comfortable as it licked its left paw. Usagi and Luna gaped at it, caught between shock and wonder, but it ignored them imperiously and continued grooming itself. Bright golden fur and a mane flashed discord against the soft pinks and blues of the teenage girl's bedroom. Finally, fur as shiny as possible, the lion lowered its paw and acknowledged them both with a courteous little nod.

"Good evening," it said pleasantly, red eyes flashing. "I have been looking forward to seeing you both."

This was too much. With the realization that this strange intruder could speak, Luna bristled and let out a shocked yowl. Usagi leapt forward and knelt by Jenny protectively. She reached out to place a hand on her shoulder, but Jenny's still form didn't respond.

"What did you do to her?" she demanded, looking up at the lion.

It looked affronted. "Me?" he asked incredulously (it _was_ a he). "I simply tried to talk to her, but she wasn't ready. Now, really, there's no need for that," he concluded crossly to Luna, who was inching forward and hissing. "I was intending to make friends with you. Don't make me forget why."

Usagi ignored them. She rolled Jenny onto her back and started shaking her. "Jenny," she pleaded softly, "wake up. _Please_, Jen-chan."

Blue eyes popped open and blinked surprise to see the face leaning over her. Usagi hastily sat back to give her room. Jenny looked around for a moment, as if trying to remember why she was lying on the floor, and then slowly she sat up.

"What happened?" she asked softly.

Usagi blinked. What, no sneer, no smart remark? Jenny must have hit her head _really_ hard. "You tell me," she said carefully. "I came in to find you like this."

"Oh." Jenny looked troubled, and she glanced around to her bed, where the lion reclined peacefully. It calmly returned her look. Slowly, she shook her head.

"I thought I heard… but that's _crazy_."

Usagi frowned, glancing back and forth from her to the lion. "What?"

"Nothing. I need to draw." Jenny said it in the same manner as an alcoholic would say, "I need a drink." It was that basic a need. She stood and went to rummage in her backpack, producing a sketchbook and several sticks of charcoal. When she looked back at the frozen Usagi, she attempted a smile.

"Do you think your parents would let me keep Cat… I mean, this cat?"

Usagi stared. "You _want_ to keep it?" Behind Jenny's back, the lion smirked.

"Sure. He reminds me of my cat back home. But if you don't think… if they'll mind…"

"No," Usagi said flatly. "They won't care. They like you."

"Okay. Good. I guess I'll see you later."

"Where are you going?"

"Just out for a walk. I won't go far." Seeing Usagi's skeptical look, she added, "I'll be fine. Honestly, I think anything bad that could have happened today already has. I'll be back soon."

"Bye," Usagi said, too stunned by her polite manner to stop her. The lion frowned and waited several seconds after Jenny had left before speaking again.

"That was stupid. You shouldn't have let her go."

"I didn't see _you_ throwing out any objections," Luna said stiffly. Her fur stood on end, and her tail was erect. She kept her eyes fixed on the creature, as if afraid it would cause her to burst into flames or something equally horrible if she looked away.

"And have her drop into another faint? The poor girl's been frightened enough this week, after being attacked three times."

"_Three_ times?" Usagi stared at him incredulously. "You mean twice. Last week at the airport and then today walking home from school. Anyway, how would you know that?"

He smiled mysteriously. "I have my sources. And I did mean three times. He also went after her while she was alone at your school this afternoon."

Usagi felt sick thinking of Jenny being chased through the empty school-especially knowing that she could have prevented it. But Luna's thoughts were bent in a different direction.

"How do we know it wasn't you?" she asked coldly.

"You don't," the lion said simply. "You can listen to what I have to say and then decide for yourself. And you can put _those_ away," he said to Luna, who held one paw extended, claws out. "You won't be needing them. I prefer not to fight for the sake of proving a point. It's bad for the fur." He licked his shiny golden mane, and then sat back to look at them both.

"My name is Surya," he continued with a curious smile. "Do you know who I am?"

There was a pause before Usagi said, "Should we?"

"No. I didn't expect you to, but I wondered. I suppose your queen wanted it that way."

"Queen Serenity?" Luna sat down hard on the carpet, her eyes suspicious. "What does she have to do with a small lion?"

"I am _not_ a lion," Surya said indignantly. "I am a cercaphor from the Athenian sun. Although I wouldn't expect you to be concerned with cosmic history as a whole. Typical ethnocentric view of a moon cat."

Luna opened her mouth-undoubtedly to say something rude-but Usagi grabbed her and firmly placed a hand over her mouth. "Okay, um, cercaphor," she said awkwardly. "No offense, but what are you doing in my room?"

"Surya, if you don't mind," he said lazily, and rolled over onto his back to wiggle his feet in the air. He smirked at Luna, who was struggling under Usagi's hand. "And don't get your tail caught in a jet engine, Luna. I mean you no harm. I'm only here to guard my princess."

Usagi flushed, not entirely sure if she was pleased or disturbed that a cercaphor from a foreign sun thought she needed his protection. Surprise made her grip loosen, and Luna broke free from her arms.

"Usagi-chan has plenty of protection!" she yelled, and looked furious when Surya started laughing.

"I don't doubt it. You've kept her alive the last few years, haven't you? Mostly. But I wasn't talking about her. I meant the other one."

"What other one?"

"My princess. Princess Celestia of Athena."

"What!" Luna's fur stood on end. "There is no such place as Athena."

Surya regarded her seriously. "Why not?"

Luna was only able to sputter, but Usagi pursed her lips together in thought. "No, he's right," she said slowly. "It was something Averill said." She closed her eyes to help her think. Normally, any mention of Averill was likely to cause melancholia for the rest of the day, but this was more important than her personal feelings. She saw him: Averill sitting across from her in the cafe, one hand closed around his mug of tea. Ceiling light danced off his golden hair, giving him a lively glow, but his eyes had been troubled.

"He said…" Usagi frowned as she tried to remember the exact words. "…the day he arrived at the Moon Kingdom, the first time, he didn't get to meet me right away, because I was visiting with some people from the nearby Athene system. He said they had arrived under rather tragic circumstances. But that was all."

Her eyes flew open. Averill's face vanished with the return of sight. Usagi was pleased to see Surya watching her, his face glowing with warm approval.

"That's right. I knew there was a reason I liked you." He turned on Luna with a scowl. "Don't you know anything about your own history?" They glared at each other, and Usagi knew she had to step in before they started to fight.

"Why don't you tell us?" she suggested, sweeping Luna back into her lap. Surya blinked in annoyance.

"Why? The past doesn't matter. What's important is what's happening right now."

"And that is?"

Surya became very serious. "Lord Ahriman has escaped. Nothing will stop him until he gets what he wants. He wants the princess."

Luna stopped squirming and smirked at Surya. "You weren't here, you missed it," she said snootily. "We already got him. He's taken care of. You can stop worrying about your precious princess."

Surya's whiskers twitched. "You got him? Is that so? Then can you explain why he was in the Tokyo airport a week and a half ago?"

Usagi's eyes widened. "That was _him_? Jenny-san's black shape?"

"Sort of. It was his essence. He needs to fully regenerate before he can come back to his natural body-he won't need to posses anyone this time. He'll be lying low for a while, waiting, but when the time is right, he'll come after her. And he'll try to take her."

Luna looked contemptuous. "I don't see how this concerns us. She's your princess: _you_ look after her." She gasped for breath when Usagi squeezed her in warning before letting her go.

"Funny how you say it doesn't concern you," Surya said mildly, "for it means the end of the universe if he isn't stopped. But if you don't want to listen…" He sniffed and looked away.

"_I'm_ listening," Usagi told him and he glanced at her with a smile.

"You were always a good girl. For now, my champion is handling things, but you might want to tell your friends that…"

"Excuse me, your champion?" This interested Luna, who marched back and sat down, as if determined now to listen. Surya gave her a superior look.

"Yes, Sailoranteros. You should know that. She rescued Jenny in the airport and then again this afternoon."

"The warrior in the yellow suit," Usagi breathed and her eyes widened in amazement. "I thought Jenny-san was crazy when she told me."

Surya yawned and his eyelids drooped. "Well, now you know the basics, it's time for my nap." He pawed the bedspread beneath him for a moment and then turned around exactly three times before falling over onto his side. Within seconds, he was snoring.

"Wait!" Usagi cried and he opened his eyes irritably. She colored, but continued. "I have to know. Why is Jenny-san being attacked so much? Is it because of me? Lord Ahriman knows my identity… is he trying to threaten me through her?"

"You want to know why Jenny is being attacked?" Surya blinked at her in disbelief and then a smile twitched his mouth.

"_Yes_."

Surya started laughing and Usagi felt her defenses rise. She was able to handle a lot, but being laughed at by a cercaphor wasn't good for the self esteem. While she was trying to weigh the reasons for his outburst, he suddenly stopped and looked at her with a hard gaze that made her squirm.

"At the airport his essence was drawn to her, like a moth to a flame. Since then, he's always been aware of her, like a single point of light on a map of the city. He's not above petty tricks to frighten her, as he did this afternoon. Pathetic really, but you want to know why Lord Ahriman is so interested in _Jenny_ when I just told you he's after the princess? Figure it out for yourself." He let out a loud snore and rolled over onto his back, paws sticking straight into the air.

Luna muttered to herself in an annoyed way, but Usagi's eyes widened as understanding finally crashed into her. "No," she whispered. "It can't be. Not Jenny. Not _her_."

Luna stopped sulking and looked at Usagi with surprise. "Of course. But _why_ is it so important for him to have her? I think we'd better call a meeting."

Usagi thought of Jenny's scowling face and tried to imagine her as a delicate princess of Athena. She suddenly felt horribly depressed.

0 0 0

_What am I doing_?

Jenny's legs robotically carried her down the street, even though her mind was begging her to return. She knew it was foolish to venture out again so soon after what had happened, but even the Tsukino home was no longer a safe haven. She couldn't stay indoors, endlessly trying to work out the border between dreams and reality. She had to do something normal, something that would help her forget: or else run the risk of spending the rest of her time in Japan looking over her shoulder, fearful of something that wasn't there. She needed space and sunlight and wind, and most of all she needed to draw. It was the only thing that always made sense to her.

Trees along the sidewalk grew thicker and Jenny came across an entrance to a large park. Impulsively, she stepped onto the main path. The surrounding trees cut off sounds of outside traffic, and Jenny instantly felt she had stepped into another world. It was so beautiful, with the last leaves of summer clinging tenuously to tree branches. Grass, thick and green and dotted with wildflowers, covered the ground. With each step, her heart slowed. She had promised Usagi to stay close, but found herself going deeper and deeper into the park, retreating into safety.

Before her was a small lake that was sparkling with sunlight and just beginning to be touched with rose and gold. She paused, looking at the colors rippling on the surface, but then turned and left the path. The lake was beautiful but very open. People were wandering around, sitting on benches, playing Frisbee, and she didn't want to be disturbed. Jenny chose a tree and sat, nestling into the soft grass. The only sounds around her were the happy twitter of birds and a distant sound of children playing. Perfect.

Jenny sketched a nearby flower. For ten minutes she lost herself in copying the lines and shadows, and at the end was rather pleased with the result. Her worries were far behind by the time she flipped to the next page. Immediately, an image of Cat rose before her eyes, and although she didn't want to think about him, she found herself leaning over the pad, her hand moving furiously across the paper. The lines and shapes came together as she worked, and it may have been minutes or hours as time dropped away, but at the end she had a perfect image of Cat staring at her from the page.

Jenny looked at her drawing, meeting the eyes that were so lifelike. The thought of him wasn't making her nervous, but rather warm and peaceful, like she had been napping on a hill on a sunny day. She traced her lines, darkening and shading for more depth, and the figure of Cat grew rounder and more real under her fingers. Any minute he might leap through the page onto her lap…

"Is that a lion?"

Jenny gasped. Her arm slipped, smudging the drawing across Cat's face. The voice had sliced through the air without warning, sharp and weighted as a blade. For some reason the shadow was back in her mind. All the forgotten fear and feeling of being hunted returned. Something was beside her-perhaps it had been there all along. When Jenny drew, she went so deeply into her work that the sky could fall without her noticing.

Heart pounding, Jenny turned, and her sudden adrenaline was relieved to see it was only a man leaning against her tree at a 90 degreeangle from herself. But wait, _only_ a man? There was something about him, sitting in the shade of the great tree, that grabbed her attention and made her stare, forgetting courtesy, forgetting propriety. Even from her odd viewing angle, she could see that he was handsome. He sat so still, his face tilted away and long legs stretched out before him with catlike grace. Long dark hair was kept neatly back from his face in a low ponytail, and she just could make out the slight curve of his lips, indicating amusement-or mockery.

"Did I startle you? I apologize. That wasn't my intention." His voice was lazy and not at all threatening. Regardless, something about the casual arrogance in his tone-or the man himself-ruffled her. Jenny looked at him uncertainly before turning back to her drawing.

"A lion? Sort of." She didn't feel like explaining.

"May I see?" The man leaned around the tree, facing her fully for the first time. Jenny handed him her sketchbook. Having a stranger look at her drawing made her very nervous, but she was glad of the chance to study him. He _was_ handsome and young, mid to late twenties. Dark, expensive sunglasses shielded his eyes but did not mask the smooth, even skin or classically handsome features. He was annoyingly good looking, and even more so when he turned to smile at her. What a beautiful smile it was. Jenny's cheeks burned.

"That's very good. May I see the rest?" The man removed his sunglasses and Jenny felt another little shock thunder through her. His eyes were golden, like those of a hawk. They made her nervous and she nodded dazedly at his request.

The man lounged against the tree as he flipped through the pages, seeming every bit an aristocrat in an enchanted forest. Jenny watched him anxiously, as if he was an art critic examining her portfolio. Her heart fluttered with every page he paused at, but he never said a word or lingered for more than a few seconds. When he handed back the sketchbook, it was with another dazzling smile.

"You have real talent for being so young."

Jenny was sure her face matched her hair. She meant to thank him, but somehow said, "I'm not that young. I'm almost seventeen."

The man winked, one golden eye slowly opening and closing. "So I see." Jenny had to look away. Everything about him, from the way he talked to his wonderful smile, made her feel very young and foolish.

"So where does a young artist like you come from? You're the only non-Japanese person I've seen all day, and that's rare when you work in Roppongi."

"California." Jenny looked at him curiously. "You're not from here either."

"Colorado." He spoke English now, as if relieved to finally be around someone who did. "I'm Max. Maximilian Gordon. Pleased to meet you, Miss…?"

"Jennifer Thomas. Jenny, sorry. I hate Jennifer. No one's called me that since I was four."

"Well, then I most certainly will not." Jenny smiled. He looked so solemn saying that.

"So… you work here? What do you do?"

"It's a family business," Max Gordon said. "I work for my father. Or rather, I do all the work while he gets the credit. He's more interested in pursuing the pleasures of his semi-retirement. Food, wine, the best golf courses and all the beautiful women he can fit on his boat." He sounded contemptuous.

"Well, I'm sure he's…" Jenny broke off as a thought struck her. It was absurd, but once it was in her mind, she couldn't get rid of it. "Gordon," she said cautiously. "You don't mean Gordon as in…" She stopped, feeling silly.

But Mr. Gordon laughed. "Gordon-Miyako Electronics? Yes, guilty, I'm afraid." He made the admission sound so casual, but Jenny gaped at him. Gordon-Miyako Electronics… the fifty-year-old Trans-Pacific partnership that made everything from fiber optic cables for NASA to black lights for college frat parties. This guy had to be a billionaire… no wonder she had equated him with a young prince in a forest. And here she was sitting on the grass, chatting with him as if he would be even remotely interested in what she had to say!

But strangely, he did seem to be. He leaned on his left palm, edging ever so discreetly closer. "But I hear about myself all the time, and quite frankly I make a boring topic. Tell me about yourself."

Jenny was still flustered about the fact that this man could probably buy all of San Mantego if he had the inclination, and perhaps that was why she blurted out what she did: "There's nothing to tell. I don't own a business. I'm not an honor roll student. I'm no beauty queen. I've never done anything worth recognition in my life."

Mr. Gordon frowned when she glanced at him. His golden eyes were serious. "That's not true. Your art… you have great talent. I can see that."

"I'm not that good," Jenny said automatically, but when she saw his encouraging nod, she smiled shyly and said, "Thank you, Mr. Gordon."

He flashed her a quick, charming grin. "Mr. Gordon is so formal. Call me Max." He was so close that Jenny could see individual hairs sweeping across his forehead into his eyes, eyes that were glowing with a strange yellow light. He never moved or changed expression, but suddenly every instinct Jenny had screamed warning. She didn't know why-there was no reason this man, and that look, should cause such alarm in her body, so that her muscles ached and longed to get up and _run_.

Still, she didn't have to sit there and feel uncomfortable. "I have to go. I should have left a long time ago." Jenny sprung to her feet, giving him a quick, embarrassed smile. "Thanks for liking my drawings."

"Who wouldn't?" Mr. Gordon replaced his sunglasses and pushed them into place. "It is getting rather late. Bedtime, right?" Those perfect lips curved into a smile.

"Not exactly, but I'm sure dinner is ready… I'll see you around, okay?" His fingers wagged at her lazily in response. Jenny felt a little guilty as she walked away. Whether he was a creep or not didn't matter. He had liked her drawings; she truly believed that. She felt so light she could have skipped all the way home.

Jenny was so lost in her thoughts, slowly making her way through the trees, that she didn't hear the hissing at first. When her ears finally focused on the sound, she froze. Something was behind her, a low hissing and a soft rustle of leaves. Oh, _why _hadn't she gone back to the path? It could be nothing. Her imagination was rampant after the day's events and she was creating monsters out of wind through the grass. But as Jenny turned, part of her thinking, _Oh God, not again_.

Standing before her was a giant snake, nine feet tall, with long slimy arms and legs. Its long tail rattled with terrible delight when it saw her face, and its red tongue flickered out, as if yearning to taste her. Jenny stood perfectly still. She should have been afraid, but instead a feeling of fire ran through her, coloring her emotions. This was not going to happen again; she wouldn't let it. She didn't know what the average rate of monster attacks was in Tokyo, but she knew she'd more than exceeded her limit.

Carefully, doing her best not to move, Jenny scanned the area with her eyes, searching for someone to help her. It was horrible standing there frozen before the monster while in the distance she could hear the sounds of happy people around the lake. If she screamed there wouldn't be time for someone to come before the snake got her. She would have to save herself.

Her eyes landed on a small branch lying ten feet to the left. She looked back at the snake, her heart racing. It wasn't much, but it was all she had. The snake must have seen a change in her eyes, because it started moving towards her. Jenny hesitated only a second before diving to the side and rushing over to scoop up the branch. It felt strong in her hands, heavy and about an inch thick, but she couldn't help feeling pathetic as she lifted it defensively. A little girl holding a stick. The snake laughed, and the horrible sound bounced through the trees.

"Don't," Jenny warned as it took another step. She was annoyed that her voice shook. The red eyes flashed triumph and it continued moving towards her in slow slithering steps. Jenny's hands trembled, but she kept the stick in front of her, wielded like a sword. When the snake rushed forward, she slashed and hit it across the face, creating a cut that oozed a green substance. The snake let out a high squeak, but then rather than get angry, it laughed again. Before Jenny had a chance to react, its tongue shot out, wrapped around her weapon, and jerked it out of her hands. The snake flung its head and the stick was discarded thirty feet away. Jenny looked after it with a sick feeling.

This was not good.

Jenny barely had time to cry out before the snake shot forward and knocked her to the ground. It wiggled, forcing her deeper into the dirt. _Why why _why? she thought desperately and cursed herself when tears sprung to her eyes. She had no room to struggle under the weight of the creature, and winced at the feel of hot breath on her neck. Its tongue flicked out and tickled her ear.

"Snake-Eye has orders to bring the girl to Master. The girl would come with Snake-Eye if she wants to live." Jenny shuddered, feeling its slime and scales on her skin. Her cheeks were wet with mingled tears and moist breath, and her mind felt heavy with defeat. Whatever this threat was, it wouldn't stop until it had her… so why not let herself be taken? Why prolong her suffering if the end was inevitable?

The snake wrapped itself more firmly around her and squeezed so that she cried out in pain. "No," Jenny choked out as she struggled to breathe. "I'll come with you. I promise."

The snake hissed its approval and rolled away, leaving a grateful Jenny gulping in air on the ground. She shook violently, her hands desperately tearing at her skin, trying to remove the snake's slime. It towered over her patiently, its tongue flickering out in anticipation. Slowly, Jenny pulled herself to a sitting position and the snake creature silently extended an arm, looking every bit the Grim Reaper come to collect her. Jenny hesitated, looking at the horrible scaly hand, but in the end she lifted her arm towards it and choked back a sob. She had promised. She had no choice.

Movement behind the creature caught her eye. It was Mr. Gordon, his finger pressed solidly to his lips in a gesture of silence. In his other hand, he held her stick. Heart leaping with newfound hope, Jenny snatched her hand away from Snake-Eye's waiting arm and scrambled back just as Mr. Gordon plunged the stick through the snake's back like a stake.

The creature screamed in agony and stumbled around in hysteric confusion to look at the attacker. Jenny trembled as she stood and steadied herself against the nearest tree. The snake was swelling and puffing up, its green scales turning a sickening yellow. Mr. Gordon circled it like a hunter, his handsome face twisted into a mask of disgust. "Master, I've failed," the creature squeaked out miserably. Slowly, it turned and saw Jenny, and with one last flash of hatred in its red eyes, it lifted an arm and staggered towards her, leaving drops of melting scales behind it.

"Jenny, move!" Mr. Gordon yelled but Jenny was unable to look away from the snake. It came towards her, arms outstretched and mouth twisted into a repulsive grin. With a shout, Mr. Gordon made a running leap at her and pulled her out of the way just as the creature fell forward and exploded. They were both knocked to the ground and Jenny's breath was forced out of her as Mr. Gordon fell on top of her. Yellowish slime, the only thing left of Snake-Eye, was strewn around the area, including the back of Mr. Gordon's designer shirt. He had shielded her from the force of the explosion.

They lay together quietly in shock for a moment, and then Mr. Gordon moved to the side to give her some air. "Are you okay?" he asked and she managed to jerk her head into a nod. A deep chill was set in her bones, causing her to shiver uncontrollably. She was beyond comprehension. This was the fourth time in a week, the third time that day. What did these creatures want with her? Why _her_? She was nothing special.

Mr. Gordon smiled kindly. "Poor child," he said and reached down to brush a clump of matted hair from her eyes. "I'm so sorry. That must have been a shock. They told me before moving to Tokyo to expect the occasional youma attack. But these things aren't a daily occurrence."

Jenny's breathing gradually calmed. "For me they are," she said weakly. "I must be some kind of magnet. I think it's the red hair." Suddenly, the situation did not seem frightening, but very funny. A hysterical giggle escaped her throat. Mr. Gordon's eyebrows raised sharply, but the look quickly disappeared into a frown.

"This has happened _before_? What the hell are you doing out by yourself? Have you told anyone?"

"It doesn't matter. It won't help. I'll just have to get used to the idea that somebody wants me dead."

"Stop it. This is serious. There must be something we can do."

"_We_?"

"You shouldn't have to face this alone. Let me help you, Jenny."

Jenny looked at him incredulously and was stunned to see that he was serious. Gone was the suave arrogance from Mr. Gordon's face, leaving only pity mixed with concern. His eyes were honest and unguarded, and this lack of veiling showed a certain tenderness that had not existed before. She was amazed at the transformation, but she didn't question his motives. Somehow, it seemed natural that this man should care for her and offer his protection. When he reached out to touch her cheek in a light motion, Jenny felt warmth return to her. She was safe; she believed him. Nothing else mattered.

"What is this? What is going _on_ here?"

Mr. Gordon snapped his hand back and they looked up. An angry boy was stalking towards them. Jenny's heart sank as an angled beam of sunlight hit his face through the leaves. It was Nick. Of course. He always managed to ruin her best moments. She untangled herself from Mr. Gordon's arms and sat up, her face slowly coloring. The surprise on Nick's face was justified: finding her lying beneath Mr. Gordon without knowing what had happened must look very strange. But he had no right to look so shocked and disgusted, turning her peace to anxiety.

"Jenny?" Nick's voice was low and demanding, but Jenny didn't want to look at him. She glanced at Mr. Gordon, her eyes apologetic, and was surprised to see that the yellow slime and scales had vanished from the back of his shirt and the surrounding area-as if they had never been there. Nick cleared his throat noisily, and Mr. Gordon tore his eyes from Jenny, his lips curved and his face cold and amused. All trace of his gentle protectiveness vanished as he eyed Nick.

"Your boyfriend?"

Jenny shook her head vehemently. "God, no!"

"Luckily," Nick muttered dryly and took a few steps closer. "Come on, Jen. I came back to talk to Usagi and she sent me to find you. She's worried."

"Yeah, right," Jenny said bitterly, but she felt strange to hear that. Usagi was worried about her? For all she knew, Usagi would be thrilled to hear she had been attacked by a giant snake. She hadn't been very sympathetic that afternoon.

"He's right. It's time you go home." Mr. Gordon stood in one graceful movement, and reached down a hand to help Jenny up as well. His face was distant again, but his hand clasped hers a few seconds longer than necessary.

Although Nick was standing to the side, his hands on his hips in a gesture of impatience, Jenny felt a strange reluctance to leave. "How can ever I thank you?" she asked quickly when Mr. Gordon showed signs of leaving. His eyes softened as he looked back at her.

"Paint my portrait," he answered and then laughed at her stunned expression. "I'll pay you, of course. You can paint, right?"

"Yes, but… but I'm not that great."

"Don't be modest. I've seen your drawings. If you can paint half as well as you draw, I will be one satisfied customer. So?"

"Yes," Jenny told him, fully aware that Nick was taking in the scene with narrowed eyes. She knew his request was less a confidence in her abilities than an excuse to see her again-but she didn't care. She gave him her most brilliant smile. "I will, Mr. Gordon."

"I told you before, it's Max." He dug in his pocket for a moment and retrieved a card. "Here's my number. Call my secretary and she'll set up a date. Don't try to escape, because I'll find you. How many pretty, red-headed Jennys can there be running around Tokyo?"

Nick scowled, but Jenny felt quite cheerful. "Thank you, Max," she said and stuck his card in the pages of her sketchbook.

Mr. Gordon–Max–smiled at her once more before checking his watch. "I'll leave you now." He looked at Nick, sizing him up carefully before giving him a curt nod. "Take care of her." And with that, he left, walking into the sunset with all the romantic visual appeal of a white-hatted cowboy. Jenny watched him until he was out of sight, all happiness and bubbles. But it wasn't long before Nick ruined it.

"Well, well," he muttered once they were alone.

Jenny glanced at him warily, her elation dissolving. "What?"

"Nothing. I just find it interesting that Usagi sends me after you because she's worried you'll be attacked again, and I find you rolling around on the ground with some guy twice your age. I know she wasn't expecting that." Without even looking her way, Nick started back towards the path.

Jenny stared at his retreating figure in shock before clenching her fists and running after him. "I don't see how this is any of your business," she hissed, breathing heavily as she tried to match his pace. He slowed, still not looking at her, and she walked beside him, fuming.

"You're right, it isn't. If you want to play with older men, fine. But be careful. Do you honestly think I believe he wants you over to paint his portrait?"

"I don't care what you believe. And I can take care of myself."

"I hope so."

Jenny raised her eyebrows. She had never expected him to sound so serious or completely lacking taunts. They walked in silence for a moment before Jenny surprised herself by saying, "For your information, we weren't doing anything. He saved me. I _was_ attacked."

Nick stopped walking and glanced at her for a split second before starting forward again, his face passive. "Oh?"

"Yes." Jenny frowned. "You can leave now. I know my way back."

"No. Usagi asked me to walk you. Anyway, it might not be the best idea for you to wander around by yourself."

"And you think you're strong enough to take care of me?" She laughed but the sound came out strained. "Right, one glance from you and the monsters scatter in fear. You, the sports hero of San Mantego, the actor. Mr. Wonderful, Mr. Good Grades, Mr. All American. It must be nice to be so big."

Nick suddenly swung around. "Stop it," he said roughly. "I didn't come all this way to be harassed. I am not going to tolerate it."

"Why not? I used to."

Nick opened his mouth but then sighed and seemed to change his mind. "Would it be so terrible to talk to me?"

"Yes. Look, I just want to go home. I'm sure you're anxious to talk to Usagi, anyway."

"Actually, I lied. I came back to talk to you."

"Oh, sure you did."

"Really. We have some unresolved issues to cover. We don't have to be friends, but you don't have to hold a grudge for something neither of us can change. Won't you just listen to me?"

"Won't _I_ listen to you? When _you_ wouldn't listen to _me_ for eight years?" Jenny snorted and shook her head. "Oh, that's cute. I suppose I'm only allowed to grace your presence now that your old buddies aren't around, right?"

Nick was silent for a moment. "You're right. You're totally right. I was so stupid."

"That's an understatement. Forget trying to apologize. I don't want to hear it."

Nick looked at her for a moment, seeming to struggle to keep back what he wanted to say, but then he shrugged and shoved his hands in his pockets. They walked on in a not entirely uncomfortable silence, passing no one except a small dog that barked madly and strained against the rope that bound it to a tree. Jenny's fingers played with the cover of her sketchbook and she glanced at him discreetly every few blocks. She would never admit it, but she was almost touched that he had bothered to seek her out, not once but twice, to try to make amends. If it hadn't been him, that really would have meant something. She was even beginning to think that he was at least tolerable as long as he stayed silent when he opened his mouth.

"I got a letter from Dirk."

Jenny raised a scornful eyebrow. "He knows how to use a pen? I didn't think he was able to hold anything but a football."

Nick laughed, a rich warm sound she hadn't heard in ages. "Even that's doubtful. I think he holds the record for most dropped balls in the conference. At least Dane knew how to throw the ball. I remember…"

"Yeah, don't really care."

"Right, I forgot. The little artist nonconformist, not interested in anything 'popular.' I almost agree with you. Dirk went on for almost a page about his 'plan' for this season, when in reality he wouldn't know one side of the field from the other if the cheerleaders didn't hold up signs for him. And then there was his list of girls. Every conquest he made this summer. I don't know how I used to stand him. His brother was even worse. They're both deeply interested in nothing but themselves."

"Not like anyone around here, huh?"

Nick whistled and shot her a lopsided grin. "Ooh, chilly. Remind me to wear my scarf around you next time." Jenny turned her head and let her hair fall down to hide her smile. She didn't want him to think he amused her.

"He devoted half a page to you," Nick said casually and looked at her for a reaction, but she carefully avoided his eyes.

"That's nice."

"You really bother him. I believe some of the words that came up were 'bitch' and 'whore' with a few other expletives mixed in. I burned the letter."

"What, do you want me to give you a gold star?"

"No. I just want you to know that you're the only girl, the only person, who doesn't treat him like a god… and he actually likes you because of it. You're the only one who refuses him."

Nick grew silent and turned to look at a little boy riding his bicycle on the opposite side of the road. Jenny tried to walk as casually as he, but she couldn't stop her fingers fiddling together awkwardly. She was very aware of his presence beside her. Walking with him like this was both familiar and strange, and she didn't like the way it made her feel. She had worked for years to keep a comfortable amount of distance between them and didn't like him trying to break that down, no matter how friendly and innocent his intentions were. He may have forgotten, or been willing, to erase the past eight years… but she could not.

"Look," Jenny started with a delicacy she never thought she'd show him, "you're being very nice and I know you're trying, but don't you think we're past that? We're not friends; we haven't been for a long time. I don't think it's worth trying to bring that back."

Nick slowly turned to face her, and Jenny had to fight to keep her breathing even at the look on his face. "Just like that, huh? I can't say I never knew you were stubborn."

"I'm sorry…"

"You're not," he said abruptly, "but I get it. You're never going to let anyone in your life, are you?"

"If you mean you, no. There are other people in Tokyo more worthwhile."

"Like who? Mamoru?" Nick was smiling again, but this time it was malicious. Jenny would have given anything, even thrown her best painting in a bonfire to stop herself from blushing then. "You were staring at him that night we came over for that stupid double date. You couldn't keep your eyes off him. At the time I thought you were avoiding my eyes…"

"I _was_."

"…but later I figured it out. It was only at his prodding that you even considered coming out with us… but I guess your hatred of me won out. Poor Jenny. You couldn't have picked a worse guy to fall in love with."

Jenny quickened her pace, her face aflame, and was disappointed when he kept right up with her. She stopped moving and spun on him angrily. "I never said I was in love with him, and how would you know if he's horrible or not? He's ten thousand times more of a man than you are."

"You're forgetting that I live with him. And yes, he is rather a saint. But I wasn't talking about his personality when I said how horrible it was to fall in love with him."

Jenny gritted her teeth, trying to stay calm. Much as she wanted to fly into a rage and make him feel some of the pain he was causing her, she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her that upset. She took a deep breath and said coolly, "Well, what _did_ you mean?"

Nick frowned, suddenly looking serious. "You don't understand how deeply he and Usagi care about each other. They have a bond more powerful than any I've seen. Trying to break it would be like trying to bite through a ten-pound diamond with your teeth. Time and space couldn't separate them, and a little red-haired bitch from California certainly won't. So do yourself a favor, kid, and stay away from him. You'll only hurt yourself."

Jenny couldn't help feeling hollow inside. "Oh, what do you know?" she scowled. "What does _he_ know? Usagi is a moron."

"And the pieces of the mystery come together," Nick said solemnly. "You never had anything against Usagi herself, right? It was just the fact that she got him first. And it hasn't been a recent development, hon. They've been together for thousands of years. Get over it."

"Maybe it seems that way sometimes, but if they've been together forever he must be bored with her by now."

Nick shrugged. "Whatever, just don't say I never warned you. Your heart is your own. If your want it torn and trampled on, it's your call. And see if Usagi will be around to help you pick up the pieces the way you've been treating her. Better stick with your golden boy hero."

Jenny was so furious she was shaking. "You asshole. Who are you to judge me? After the way you… Get the hell away from me. I don't want to see you again. I don't want to know you. I wish I never had." She broke off with a little gasp. Her voice was choked trying to hold back tears and she clasped a hand to her mouth so it wouldn't betray her by trembling. Nick looked at her for a long moment, his face pale, before turning suddenly. But he only walked a few paces before spinning back around.

"Okay, you win. And maybe you're right. What good is it trying to erase the past? What's done is done. I'm sorry if I ever hurt you, but don't try to pretend it was all me. So, goodbye. You don't have to know me anymore. _Sayonara_."

Jenny stared after him stiffly as he walked away, the tears she had dammed up finally flowing free. For what! A lying, arrogant, smart-ass of a nineteen year old boy! Angrily, she brushed her tears with the back of her hand and glared at his retreating figure. She couldn't help remembering another time she had watched him walk away from her. Even at eleven he had been so handsome and confident. If he had known he was hurting the tiny eight year old who worshipped him, he had made no sign. But that didn't matter anymore. He was going to avoid her now and she never had to worry about him again.

Jenny started to laugh without an ounce of mirth, and for a moment she couldn't stop. She ignored the passing woman who gave her a suspicious look and covered her eyes with her hands. How could she fool herself? She might be able to pretend that this was the best thing that could happen and that she didn't care, but inside not a single thing had changed.

And Nicholas Kestrel had somehow managed to break her heart again.


	7. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six**

Does truth sound bitter as one at first believes?

-Robert Browning

"If I have to listen," Rei started irritably, "one more time about how Kai's eyes sparkle like grape candy or that Alexei's kiss would put Romeo to shame, I'm going to take both of you right now by the hair and toss you out."

She certainly looked serious, her scowling face lit by long rays of evening sunlight that streamed into the temple, but the downgrade from earlier threats of murder only made Makoto and Minako laugh.

"I don't care," she continued heartily, "what you made Kai for lunch, or even if Alexei could bench-press an entire elephant. You're in love. We get it."

"You're just jealous. Don't take it out on us because you don't have someone to talk about," Minako responded cheerfully.

If anyone was capable of giving a look that was ablaze with fire, it was Rei. Ami had been looking up curiously, but at the sight of Rei's eyes, she hastily retreated behind her textbook. Minako and Makoto turned their backs and continued their conversation, but further raptures about their boyfriends were delivered in whispers. For some reason, rather than focus her annoyance on them, Rei turned the look on Usagi, as if daring her to make some comment about Mamoru's biceps. She needn't have bothered. For once, Usagi's mind wasn't focused on Mamoru. It was more than enough occupied with Jenny.

Usagi rested her chin on her knees with a sigh and glanced at the still empty doorway. Surya had promised to meet them half an hour ago. She supposed she shouldn't be surprised, considering that the cercaphor had been half asleep when he agreed to meet the other senshi. But after his pompous speeches about how important it was to guard the princess, she had expected a little more effort from him. She scowled and played with the pink laces on her sneakers. In the week since he had appeared, _she_ had been the one looking out for Jenny. While he ate Luna's food and spent the day napping, his stubby legs sticking up in the air, she had tailed Jenny to and from school and in between classes to ensure she never found herself alone in a dark corner. The least he could do was bother to show up and explain what was going on.

"Where is he?" Ami asked suddenly, looking up from her book. "He _did_ say he was coming?"

The earnest sound of her voice distracted Makoto and Minako from their boyfriends' merits, and they looked at Usagi expectantly. Usagi glanced out the window, her mouth drooping into a frown. Streaks of red were already starting to color the horizon, but no golden head appeared coming up the path. "He said," she began gloomily, "but he probably forgot and is asleep somewhere."

"And you're sure this isn't… I don't know, a joke?" Makoto started tentatively. "I'm sure he's harmless, but… honestly, Jenny-san? She's so…" Makoto waved her arms ambiguously, but apparently she was either unable to come up with a fitting adjective or unwilling to say the one she had in mind. Usagi understood. She had watched Jenny closely in the past days, but there was nothing about her appearance or manner to suggest anything extraordinary.

"Not that she isn't nice," Makoto amended quickly. "It's just hard to believe, that's all."

Usagi snorted. "Nice isn't the word I have in mind."

"You know, I resent that," an arrogant voice commented from the door. The inner senshi jumped and turned to stare open-mouthed as Surya pranced into the room. "It's very rude to gossip about someone who isn't there to defend herself."

"Rude like showing up to a meeting an hour late?" Usagi asked angrily. She had sprung to her feet at his entrance, and now sat down hastily, trying to look as though his sudden appearance hadn't sent her pulse racing.

"Forty-two minutes," Surya corrected calmly. "And it was necessary. I had someone to collect." He stopped and looked at them importantly, but if he expected a reaction to his statement, he was disappointed by the blank faces surrounding him. "Oh, don't tell me you weren't curious about her. I would have thought you'd ask to meet her long before this."

For a moment, Usagi was baffled, thinking he meant Jenny, but then she inhaled sharply. "Oh!"

"Yes, _oh_," he said bitterly. "I wish we could discount the lot of you the way you do us, but unfortunately, I have a feeling we'll be needing you."

While the inner senshi exchanged glances and tried to recover from the shock of this greeting, Artemis strode forward warily. "Hello, Surya. My name is Artemis. We hope-"

"I know who you are," Surya interrupted, giving him a thorough look that was thoughtful rather than disrespectful. "My memories, unlike yours, are fully intact, and since you all seem to know who I am, further introductions are unnecessary."

This prompted another brief silence, until Luna's disgruntled voice came from beside Rei. "I told you he was rude."

"I don't believe in wasting time when I know what is at stake," Surya countered in a voice that was almost apologetic, but not quite. "What is important now is the princess and finding-ah! Here she is now."

Standing in the doorway, silhouetted in shadow against the backlighting of the sunset, was a figure, tall and majestic as a visiting queen. Usagi wasn't the only one who involuntarily gasped. Shadow obscured the face, but the very essence of the newcomer radiated power and magnificence.

"Did I miss anything?" The voice that spoke was husky, almost masculine, but when the girl stepped into the temple and light illuminated her body, her figure was purely feminine. She was unquestionably another senshi. Her uniform was similar to their own, with a yellow skirt and collar and black bows on her chest and back. Two thin horizontal stripes of black accented her collar, and a black garter rested on her thigh an inch below her skirt's hem. The white fabric of her bodice attached to her skirt only at her sides, revealing small triangles of skin on her stomach and back.

Her boots reached her knees; her gloves ended at her wrists; and the ornaments she wore included a black choker, with a strange symbol like a dangling teardrop, and a silver tiara with a glittering yellow gem at the center. Dark hair fell to her shoulders, but other than that it was difficult to focus on any particular aspect on her face - much, Usagi supposed, as she and her friends appeared to others. She was simply tall and dark and beautiful, and Usagi suddenly wasn't able to blame Jenny for not coming up with a better description than "the warrior in the yellow suit."

"Girls, meet Sailoranteros, although I don't recall asking her show off."

The girl scowled. "All right, Surya. I just thought appearing like this would avoid questions about what I'm doing here. Look, I'm toning it down. See?" And with that, she lifted her hand and a bright flash of light enveloped her body, temporarily blinding them. Usagi raised a hand and blinked against the light and dark splotches that appeared before her eyes. Once the flashes faded, she lowered her hand and gaped at the girl in the black leather jacket now standing there defiantly.

It was Kelly Virida.

Usagi realized her mouth was hanging open and closed it with a snap. Only Rei and the cats were looking at the new addition without recognition; the others were staring in a kind of horrified wonder. Unconcerned, Kelly flicked her dark hair out of her eyes - her green streaks were back - and went to sit against the wall. Both knees poked through holes in her jeans as she crossed her legs. Usagi's eyes were drawn to the silver ring, set with a yellow jewel, that she always wore on her right middle finger: the apparent source of her power.

"All those times we had lunch together. You never said a word." It was difficult for Usagi to keep the accusation out of her voice.

Kelly shrugged. "What did you want me to say? I had a job to do. Nothing more."

"Wait, you _know_ her?" Rei asked incredulously. Her eyes flickered from Usagi to the others in bewilderment.

"She goes to school with us. Kelly Virida. She's friends with Jenny."

"But you're not… she's not…" Rei trailed off and looked around the room suspiciously, as if expecting someone to yell, "April Fools!"

"She's another exchange student. From New York City." Ami appeared to be having difficulty keeping her eyes off Kelly as well. The page of the textbook lying open in her lap was neatly shredded around the edges.

"Queens, if you want to know. Can we get on with this? Any questions you have about me can wait. This is supposed to be about Jenny."

Makoto was watching her rather shrewdly. "You speak Japanese much better than you let on at school."

"I should. I've been studying it since I was twelve. I knew I'd need it someday."

"Kelly has the gift of Vision," Surya explained, "as did all from the royal Anteros bloodline. She knew about her past life and had discovered her powers long before I found her last summer. She was quite useful in directing me towards Jenny's whereabouts. But she's right. This isn't about her. We-"

"But why pretend if you were able to understand?" Makoto interrupted, frowning.

"It gave me an excuse to stay close to Jenny," Kelly said reasonably, stretching out her long legs and picking a piece of dust off her jeans. She focused a stern look on the group. "Someone has to keep an eye on her."

"_I'm_ protecting her," Usagi said rather sulkily. "I follow her outside of school."

"Yeah? Who do you think's been following you?" While Usagi tried to digest this, Kelly added fiercely, "Look, I'm sure you have good intentions, but I don't trust anyone but myself to do it. I won't let that girl out of my sight."

Minako leaned forward, Alexei's six-pack forgotten for the moment. "Why? Usagi-chan hasn't told us anything."

"There's nothing to tell," Usagi said defensively. "You know everything that Surya told me. Lord Ahriman is back, Jenny-san is some kind of princess, he must be stopped… but if he's back, why hasn't he done anything? It's not like last time when he was showing off and making clear demonstrations of his power."

"You call attacking Jenny nothing? You wouldn't be so cold if it happened to you," Kelly snapped, her green eyes flashing furiously.

Usagi blinked, feeling the words like a slap. "I didn't mean-"

"But it won't happen to her. She's not the one he wants." Surya's voice was laced with frustration.

"Oh really? Lord Ahriman kidnapped and brainwashed her. If she wasn't important to him, why didn't he kill her instead of keeping her around?" Luna's whiskers twitched as she strode forward to present Surya with a challenging look, but he wasn't bothered.

"Because he knew it would be easier to get to Jenny if he had Usagi under his power. He knows their connection."

"Connection? What _connection_? That happened long before my family knew we were getting that horror of an exchange student!" Usagi wasn't angry about Jenny so much as upset over Surya implying that Lord Ahriman had abducted her for nothing. A slow heat spread across her face at the mention of the incident, but her friends were too interested in what Surya was saying to remember that this was a touchy subject with her. Only Kelly was watching, and the knowing flash of pity in her eyes made everything worse.

"But he knew," Surya said smoothly. "Usagi, even if she wasn't your exchange student, you two would have met somehow, somewhere, sometime."

"Why?" Usagi forced her face into a look of detached curiosity. Her skin felt revealingly warm.

The cercaphor sighed. "I'll start at the beginning. I think it will help you understand. It's cliché to start with 'Once upon a time,' but what would you say if I told you that once upon a time this conflict you face now, that you feel is solely your own, was being fought by your parents and grandparents and every single one of your ancestors since the universe began? You see, something went wrong at the beginning of all things that split the Universe into two powers: the Light and the Darkness. Maybe this was never intended to be. I wouldn't claim to know. But the fact is you've inherited the fight and are the last remaining warriors of the Light, born to help your princess defend this world."

A strange hush fell over the room as he spoke. The golden beams of light coming from outside had progressed into a soft crimson, coloring the room with a deep calming wash. Surya looked at them each in turn, his gaze lingering last and longest on Usagi.

"Many years ago, long before any of you were born in your past lives, there was a battle between the two powers. Your parents were teenagers, and, without going into particulars, they managed to seal the Darkness away into another dimension. All creatures of fear, male, female, young, old, were sent away… except one. The smallest of their children whom Queen Celestia couldn't bear to see banished or harmed."

"Queen Celestia?" Minako asked and immediately blushed at Surya's stern look.

"Queen of the Athene system, the star of Athena. My former mistress and Jenny's mother. Long story short, the queen felt sorry for the little boy and convinced the others to let him stay free. She felt that he shouldn't be blamed for the actions of his family and wanted to raise him as her own. She thought she could change him."

"What stupidity!" Kelly said heatedly, causing the others to start at the reminder of her presence. "I don't care how good her intentions were, she should have known that children of the Darkness can't change. They have no hearts to warm. She may have treated him like a son and given him the wealth and status of a prince, but he never gave a damn about her. You know how the bastard repaid her kindness? By blowing up our home as soon as he was old enough to gain his powers!"

"It was undoubtedly a mistake, but the queen was a great women, though her sympathies sometimes made her actions foolish." Surya gave his champion a warning look. "She was forgiving of those others condemned as irredeemable and she loved without prejudice… A family trait, I'd say." Kelly didn't respond, but reddened at that and looked furious. She bowed her head and returned to cracking her knuckles.

Something flashed through Usagi's memory. "He destroyed your home?" she asked gently, for she had seen a look of pain cross the cercaphor's face at Kelly's words. "That was when you came to my kingdom, right?"

"We did. Very few of us. It happened so fast that only our eight princesses and myself were given time to escape. We thought we were the sole survivors, but when we came to your Moon we found him there charming Queen Serenity's court. He had conveniently been away at the time of the explosion." Surya's mouth twisted without mirth.

"Conveniently!" Kelly was unable to hold in her anger any longer. She leapt to her feet and started pacing the room with folded arms. "He destroyed our home, _his_ home, without a bit of regret. I was the only one who saw through him. I tried to tell you all, but you were too stupid to believe me. It would have saved a great deal of trouble if you had." She kicked the wall furiously before swinging back to face them, coaxing a protesting squeal from Rei.

"Fine," Surya said impatiently. "You were the Cassandra of our group. You were right; we were wrong. I had my suspicions - we probably all did - but I was unwilling to believe that Queen Celestia could have been so wrong about him."

"You and everyone else," Kelly said bitterly. "Oh yes, he can be very charming. But he was only there to do the same to his adoring new friends as he'd done to us."

"You forget." Surya's sharp red eyes landed on Kelly with a scornful look. "He had another reason for being there that had nothing to do with destruction."

Kelly stood very still. Usagi leaned back warily, wanting to get out of the way if she was going to scream or start kicking things again. But Kelly surprised her by walking slowly to sit back at her place against the wall. "That's your opinion," she said darkly as she lowered to the floor and drew in her knees. "Whether he meant it or not, that's how it ended."

"I wasn't defending him. It isn't possible for anyone to hate him more than I do. But facts are facts, and he was there because Princess Celestia was there. He loved her. Yes, _love_," he added fiercely as Kelly snorted at the word and many of the others blinked in surprise. "He loved her, as much as it was possible for one of the Darkness to love another. She was one of the few who gave him kindness, not out of respect for Queen Celestia but because she truly cared for him as a brother. His feelings for _her_ weren't exactly brotherly. He asked Queen Serenity for permission to marry her and it was granted. Lord Ahriman knew she would agree because-"

"Lord Ahriman!"

"Yes." Surya shot a surprised look at Usagi, who had suddenly turned ashen. "Who did you think we were talking about? He didn't get to marry her, for he foolishly started his takeover on earth. But you know that story. So, here we are ten millennia later and you wanted to know what interest Lord Ahriman has in Jenny. There it is. But believe me, he has a reason for wanting to find her other than satisfying some long-running sexual fantasy."

"Like what?" Usagi asked sourly. The news that her most recent enemy and cause of shame was in love with the girl sharing her room who snored and glared and stared quietly into space unsettled her more than anything else she'd heard.

"Well, you and your friends are forces of the Light. Jenny is… not exactly."

"She's evil, I knew it." Usagi imagined Jenny and Lord Ahriman sitting together, locked in some sappy lovers' embrace. No doubt they'd make a perfectly evil little family together.

Surya gave her a stern look and then turned the same on Kelly, who had stiffened at Usagi's comment and opened her mouth to say something nasty in defense of her friend. "No, she is not, and I know you don't believe that. She's beyond the reach of either Light or Darkness. If Jenny were ever to be revived as Sailorathena, her power would be the force of the wild cosmos. The final battle is coming, and it has been foretold that whatever side she is on will be victorious. She will have a choice to make, and whatever her decision, Sailoranteros and the other six will fight with her."

"That's stupid. You're telling me they're prepared to kill us all if Jenny-san is dumb enough to listen to Lord Ahriman?" Makoto asked roughly.

The question was intended for Surya, but Kelly answered first. "We don't have a choice. It's not like I'm looking forward to it, but we have to follow the laws. She's my princess - I'd follow her anywhere. You've got to understand that at least. But look, there's no reason it has to come to that. We need to protect her so he doesn't get anywhere near her."

"And we have the advantage," Surya added quickly, since many of the senshi were exchanging wary glances and looking downhearted. "Lord Ahriman does love her, and anything that weakens him is good for us. Besides, Jenny is not stupid. She knows the difference between right and wrong, and I don't think she'd vote to kill you. My biggest concern is what he'll do to her when he learns she _won't_ fight with him."

"So that's the answer." Rei laughed dryly and shook her head. "Wow. What gave this girl the power to decide our fates?"

"It's tied to the circumstances of her birth. Everything in this universe has a balance. Light and Darkness, up and down, old and young, man and woman. Every planet and star in the old days was ruled by a king and a queen. This was the way since the beginning of time. But the balance was thrown off in Athena, for Queen Celestia never married."

Ami glanced up sharply, trying to conceal the surprise in her eyes. "Then Jenny-san was…"

"Yes. The queen was in love with a man she could never have and paid for her passion with a child. Of course, she didn't love her daughter any less for being illegitimate, but many of the close-minded viewed the child as a curse for disrupting the balance. Some predicted great disaster would come to them because of this, and perhaps that was true considering what happened. Anyway, this change is why Jenny's power is different. She was not born to serve the Light or the Darkness, but rather to tip the scale either way."

"That's kind of sad," Usagi admitted, feeling a wave of emotion after the story. "Why couldn't the queen be with the man she loved?"

Surya looked at her and said nothing.

"Well, I still won't feel sorry for Jenny-san," Usagi continued. "Doomed princess or not, she has no excuse for being so rude to me. But Surya… I don't understand why my mother agreed to let Lord Ahriman marry her. Surely she must have known how bad he was!"

"She knew his origins, yes, but not what he had done. She consented because she hated Bryn - Jenny's name at the time - and wanted her gone from the Moon Kingdom."

"My mother obviously had good taste."

This time Kelly didn't need to leap up in a rage - Surya beat her to it. "Let's get one thing clear. I don't know what is going on between you two, but if we're going to be working together, it ends now. Bryn was a loyal friend, one of the sweetest girls I've ever known, and she never judged anyone harshly without cause. The reason Queen Serenity hatred her had nothing to do with _her_. Your mother only resented the fact that she had been born! Say what you will about Jenny now, but Bryn did nothing to deserve your contempt."

Usagi was taken aback and shut her mouth.

After the ensuing silence and more bewildered looks exchanged amongst the senshi, Luna asked the logical question: "_Why_ did Queen Serenity hate Jen – Bryn – so much? I think we agree that our queen also never judged without cause."

Kelly arched an eyebrow and snorted again from her place against the wall, but left it at that. Surya was silent for a moment before turning to Usagi with a strange flash of pity in his eyes.

"It wasn't Bryn she hated, not really. The thing is… Jenny's mother and Usagi's father were lovers. He married Queen Serenity, but his first love was Queen Celestia. The laws prevented them from being together - no marrying was permitted outside one's solar system. But it didn't prevent them from loving each other. He loved her until the day he died. With his last breath, he asked for her. Queen Serenity couldn't help hating the child that was born from her husband and her once best friend. How would you feel?"

The silence inside the temple was a tangible entity, broken only by the cawing crows outside. The truth was apparent… to everyone, that is, except Usagi, who kept staring at Surya with a look of expectation, denying it all, unable to believe.

Surya sighed. "Jenny is your half-sister, Usagi. Haven't you guessed that?"

Usagi felt as if a gong had been struck against her head. Things indeed seemed to be taking a turn for the worst.

0 0 0

"Care for a drink?"

"I'm sorry, what?" Jenny looked up from her sketchbook and was startled to see Max standing beside her. Instinctively, she pulled the book to her chest to conceal the drawing and gave him an apologetic grin. Last she had seen he was lounging in a chair across the room, reading glasses on and legs crossed as he frowned and studied a pile of papers on the desk beside him. Jenny had been perfectly content to drift and dream as she copied images of him onto the paper, so much that part of her had forgotten he was a living being and not another still life.

His lips twitched. "A drink. You know, something wet, possibly sweet. You've been at it nearly an hour. I thought you could use a break."

"Oh. Yes, thank you." Jenny shook her head to clear it and stuck her pencil in the wire binding of her sketchbook as Max proceeded to the bar at the far corner of the room.

"Let's see…" His voice was slightly muffled as he knelt behind the bar and examined the contents of the small refrigerator below. "You have a choice of water, orange juice, some weird banana-flavored green tea drink - stay away from that, if you want my advice - Coke…"

"Coke would be fine."

"Coke it is." Max's dark head reappeared and he set the can on the bar before reaching for a bottle of wine. "You don't mind if I indulge?"

Jenny shook her head as he uncorked the bottle and let the red liquid splash into a wineglass. She wouldn't have been surprised if there were diamonds in it. His opulent way of living no longer shocked her, although when she first came to his mansion the sheer size of the place and lavish decorations had been stunning. She had been so nervous that first day while he gave her a tour, unsure how to act in such luxurious surroundings. But she soon learned that it was impossible to be uncomfortable around him. The way he made her feel was refreshing. He never treated her like a kid or an inferior, and Jenny found herself admiring him more every time she was with him.

Max came towards her and Jenny held out her hand for the can. For a moment, their fingers brushed. "Thanks," she said and popped the top before taking a long drink. It took her a moment to realize that Max had not returned to his chair, but stood hovering over her, sipping his wine with a little frown. "What?" she asked self-consciously.

"Are you okay? You don't seem yourself today."

Jenny smiled. "I'm fine."

That wasn't entirely true. Something had been at the back of her mind all day, slipping in and out of her waking awareness. Last night she had dreamed she and Usagi were running through a meadow, laughing and spinning each other around in the dizzy slow motion of dreams. The air was filled with the smell of spring; and wildflowers covered the ground with a rainbow of colors. It would have been a beautiful dream if it had stayed that way. But the sky turned black, and the ground rumbled and cracked between them. She could still hear Usagi's screams as a smoky hand reached up from the chasm and pulled Jenny into the hole.

Down, down she fell, into an underworld of hatred and lies. Something was waiting for her at the bottom. A demon that wanted her and reached for her, filling her with darkness until she was just like it. But while Jenny was succumbing to its power, she had noticed Usagi floating nearby… and Nick. Looks of terror were on their faces and their voices mingled together, pleading with her to be strong and not give in. But they were too late. Jenny was trapped in an eternal night.

Mercifully, she had awaken, but the terror stayed with her. Her frightened brain saw shadows creeping along the walls and ceiling, and for a frightened moment she thought something really had come for her. She had wanted so badly to call out to Usagi, breathing evenly on the other side of the room, but she choked back the urge. She couldn't let Usagi know, just as she was unable to confide in Max now, that she was childish enough to be frightened by a dream.

Max appeared to take her word for it. He took another sip from his crystal glass and gestured at the notebook she gripped protectively in her lap. "May I see?"

"See?" Jenny echoed stupidly. "Um, it's not that great. Really just a work in progress. Nothing you'd be interested in." She didn't know why she was being so protective of her drawings, since he _was _paying her, or even why she was still doing preliminary sketches after two weeks of meeting him. Her conscious excuse was that she had never done a portrait before and wanted to be familiar with his every angle before starting the painting. The real reason was more complicated. Being with him was the only time she felt peace in Japan, and she felt no desire for it to end.

"I would like to see." Max's voice dropped to a low authoritative level that was clearly meant to remind her that he was, after all, her employer. He placed his wineglass on the small table beside Jenny's chair and held out his hand. She sighed and handed him the book. His smile was indulgent as he opened to her most recent drawing but the look soon disappeared. Shock passed over his face and then disbelief.

Jenny's heart sank. "You hate it." Her voice was filled with dejection. If he'd wanted perfection, he should have hired a real artist. She could hardly stand the thought of his disappointment.

"On the contrary. I had no idea you were so… Jenny, this is amazing. It's like I'm looking in a mirror." Max turned back the page and looked at the previous drawing with the same wonder. Jenny glanced at him, hardly daring to believe it. He wasn't disappointed. Not even close. Instead, she began to wonder if she should feel insulted by the depth of surprise he was showing at being impressed despite his expectations.

She grimaced. "Thanks, but you're just saying that."

"Believe me. I wouldn't lie to you." He looked up from the page and met her eyes. She saw the truth of his words as he gazed down at her, as well as something new in his expression. But before she could work out the meaning, he closed the sketchbook with a snap and handed it back to her.

"Well, I had a feeling about you, and you've certainly confirmed it." He walked over to the beautiful carved cedar table beside the sofa and plucked a yellow rose out of the ceramic vase. "For you, my lady," he said gallantly, sweeping into a bow as he presented it to her. Jenny took the flower, smiling. She brought it to her nose and breathed in, closing her eyes.

"How about another drawing?" she asked shyly, setting the flower carefully on the floor next to her backpack.

"Shall I pose this time, my dear artisan?" He winked at her, his golden eyes twinkling, before thrusting out his arms and a leg like a superhero about to take flight. Jenny laughed and flipped to a clean page in her sketchbook. She curled her legs beneath her and settled into a more comfortable position, but before she could detach her pencil from the wire spirals, there was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Max said, only his lips moving as he held the pose. The door swung open and a head poked in. Jenny recognized Sera, Max's personal assistant. She was the only one of Max's employees that she had met, and while Jenny liked her, she found herself feeling oddly resentful at the interruption. Sera seemed to recognize the sentiment and tossed her short, light blue hair over her shoulder with a smile of apology.

"Sir, I'm sorry to interrupt, but your new intern is here."

Max dropped the pose and turned towards the door with a frown. "Now? I forgot that was today. Damn. Well, send him in." He looked annoyed as Sera bowed her head and left. Jenny watched him with concern.

"Should I go?"

"I'd rather you didn't," he said honestly. "You can continue your work while we talk. I hate this kind of thing, but it's something my father always did. I guess it made him feel big to play mentor to some college kid with big dreams. Now I get to follow in that grand tradition. I promise this won't take long."

Jenny nodded uncomfortably. She felt she should leave if Max was going to have a business meeting, but couldn't go without being rude after he'd specifically asked her to stay. She made a formless doodle on the paper while Max went over to his desk and pulled a few papers out of a folder to examine. A few minutes passed and Sera returned with the intern following close at her heels.

"Mr. Gordon, Mr. Kestrel," she introduced before bowing slightly and leaving the room. Jenny paled and looked up, hoping she had misheard. She hadn't. Nick, looking handsome in a suit and eager to please, strode across the room with an outstretched hand. Jenny gripped her pencil so hard that it snapped, and immediately bent to pick up the pieces. She was grateful for an excuse to hide her face. The shock of seeing him, especially after his appearance in her dream the night before, was debilitating. Luckily neither man took notice of her as they shook hands.

"Thank you for having me, sir. This is truly an honor." Nick's voice was different; it disconcerted her. He sounded professional, appreciative and a little subservient, not at all the self-assured cocky bastard she knew. Max replied in a pleasant but slightly mocking imitation of the tone. As they exchanged polite greetings, Jenny looked at the door, judging the distance, and wondered if she could slip out before they noticed her.

Unfortunately not. Her ears perked up and she froze when Max said, "I'd like to introduce you to someone…" Horrified, fighting her will, Jenny looked up and saw that Nick had finally seen her and was staring with the same stunned expression she had worn.

"My artist, Miss Jennifer Thomas," Max continued, oblivious to the tension in the room. "She is very talented."

"I know," Nick said faintly. He looked deflated, all the positive energy he had brought with him fading away.

"What do you mean, boy?" Max asked and Nick faced him, studying him with an entirely different expression than the obsequious employee of before. Max's golden eyes looked thoughtful. "I see. It was you in the park a few weeks ago. Well, isn't this a merry little coincidence." His deep voice sounded oddly amused, but Jenny swallowed heavily. Coincidence didn't cover it. It was as if some unwanted Fate was determined to run her life, never allowing her to escape what she wanted to forget. Crossing an ocean had done nothing to solve the problem. He was everywhere.

An awkward silence followed that statement, which Max broke with a curt, "To business." Although Nick was still eyeing him suspiciously, he seemed anxious for a distraction, and the two went to sit beside Max's desk, Max speaking about company policy and what duties he expected Nick to perform. Jenny sat very still. The crackling flames from the fireplace behind her were nothing compared to what she felt. She was grateful beyond imagining that Nick was ignoring her, but when she tried to relax and start another drawing she found herself staring at the blank paper without inspiration.

She wanted to leave, but was afraid of what Nick would think. She twiddled idly with the remaining stub of her pencil. Max was holding up a chart and Nick nodded earnestly, both absorbed to the point of forgetting she was in the room entirely. If Nick could so quickly become indifferent, why not she? She let out her breath and shifted position, moving her half-numbed legs out from beneath her. Probably Nick was laughing at her reaction and lack of cool. If he thought he had gotten to her, he was mistaken. She had to show him just how cold she could be.

Jenny looked down at her sketchbook and then up at the two men. Slowly, she stood.

0 0 0

Nick saw her coming before Mr. Gordon did. His boss was droning on about company dress code, but the instant Nick saw movement in the corner of his eye, all his energy was spent watching her near while still pretending to be interested in what Mr. Gordon had to say. It was challenging. The entire experience was baffling. Just when he had resigned himself to never seeing her again, knowing it was for the best, there she was in the house of a billionaire, the very man he had discovered her with in a compromising position only weeks before.

The fact that he had gotten the internship in the first place was surprising. After seeing a notice on the bulletin board outside his Economics classroom, he had applied on a whim, not expecting anything because of his lack of experience. But a few days later the letter had arrived, saying that the famous Maximilian Gordon had personally selected him as his new intern. Nick had been so proud of himself. He had spent all day preparing for the meeting, pestering Mamoru with so many questions about how he looked that his roommate had had to leave. Now a large part of him wished he'd never applied.

Jenny's shadow fell over them. Nick looked up, but she didn't so much as glance at him before going to Mr. Gordon. He stopped his lecture when she touched his shoulder, but didn't look cross at the interruption. Quite the reverse, the look he gave her was pure tenderness. It make Nick's insides squirm.

"Oh, don't mind me," she said brightly. "I just thought I'd do a different sort of picture for once. Something casual, if you don't mind."

Mr. Gordon shrugged and continued his lecture, but Nick couldn't even pretend to listen anymore. His eyes narrowed as Jenny removed Max's tie, her fingers undoing the knot a little too skillfully. She helped him shrug out of his jacket, an even more intimate gesture, for after tossing it aside she smoothed out the wrinkles on his shirt without the slightest sign of embarrassment. By the time Jenny unbuttoned the ends of his sleeves and the top few buttons on his chest, Nick wanted to leap out of his chair and pull her back. Luckily for his future career, he was able to restrain himself.

Nick was so focused on Jenny that it took him a moment to realize that Mr. Gordon was very interested in what she was doing as well. It had been nearly a minute since he had spoken at all. His gaze was steady as he watched her, golden eyes peeking out from beneath heavy eyelids. Jenny didn't notice. If she had an ulterior motive, Nick couldn't see it. She was frowning slightly, studying her model with an artist's eye, as impassively as if he was a block of wood. She didn't see the tense way Mr. Gordon sat or the quick rise and fall of his chest. But Nick did.

"It's not quite right," she muttered, and to the surprise of both men, she walked to the back of Mr. Gordon's chair and removed the elastic band he wore to gather his long hair at the back of his neck. Jenny ran her fingers through his hair to loosen and smooth it out, and brought some forward to fall over his shoulders. With one last light touch to brush some hair from his eyes, she stood back to examine him with a satisfied look.

"Perfect," she said softly. "Could you hold that for me?" Mr. Gordon, frozen as he was, looked incapable of movement anyway. Nick had a feeling he was willing to do much more than hold a simple pose for her, but to this, Jenny seemed oblivious. She walked back to pick up her sketchbook and curled up in her chair, perfectly content to return to her naive world of angles and shapes.

Mr. Gordon cleared his throat and resumed his speech as if there had never been an intermission. Nick watched him bitterly. He had recognized the look in his boss's eyes; he had used it himself in the past, in the aftershock of seeing a girl almost too beautiful to believe. There was nothing about Jenny's appearance, in her overly large jeans and a sweatshirt with a screen print of a pissed-off Cartman, to suggest even 'pretty', so it was obviously not her looks that had provoked him. It had been her touch.

It shouldn't have bothered him, but it did. He had no claims to her; she was allowed to do as she wished, but he couldn't help feeling protective. From the casual look on her face and the lip caught between her teeth as she concentrated on her drawing, Nick knew that she had no idea what she had done. She was too innocent to consider the possibility, which made the situation even more dangerous. She may as well have thrown dynamite into a fire. One thing was certain: if she didn't get away soon, she was sure to get burned.


	8. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven  
****  
**'Curiouser and curiouser!'  
_Alice in Wonderland  
_-Lewis Carroll

With a final stroke of her hand, Jenny completed the flowing tresses of Maximilian Gordon. The drawing was one of her best: purely subjective and completely fantastical, yet somehow more honest than her other two dimensional studies. Previous pages revealed her muse in a variety of poses or engaged in ordinary tasks. There was Max looking over his shoulder with a lazy smile; Max frowning at his PDA, reading glasses on and legs crossed; Max laughing, his eyes alight as he spoke on his cell phone. None of them came close to revealing the vitality and soul of the inner Max as displayed in her most recent image. She had drawn him as a bare-chested angel with wings spanning the page. His hair was loose and flowing, and one hand was lifted as if to reach out from the paper and offer grace to the beholder.

But Max would never glimpse the flattering portrait - Jenny planned to rip it out and stash it away from all eyes but her own. She gazed down at it for a moment, wishing she had a bit of gold leaf to illuminate the charcoal eyes. The distraction had worked magic, but now that the trance was wearing off, she became aware of the two men on the opposite side of the room. Max lectured while Nick listened with a fire in his eyes that showed a strong desire to prove himself. They appeared to have forgotten her presence as completely as she had ignored theirs.

A knock on the door proved a timely interruption. The hour hand on Max's dark wooden antique clock above the fireplace had slid past the eight without their notice. Max's steady voice faltered as Sera poked her head in the room with an apologetic grin. "A phone call for you, sir. From the States."

Max sighed. "That's code for my father. She refuses to use 'that heartless bastard,' so we substitute. I won't be a minute." He leapt to his feet with feline grace and proceeded past Sera into the hallway, giving her a quizzical look as he went. Sera inclined her head in a half-attempt at a bow before shutting the door.

The fire snapped, crackled and popped, painting patterns of light on the walls. Nick was watching her. She felt it as clearly as if his arms had extended from across the room and taken her by the shoulders. She could only study the colors of Max's oriental rug for so long; she had to say something.

"So… how did you get to be Max's intern?"

His expression, when she looked up, was slightly sardonic. "Max, huh? You two are on a first name basis?"

"We are."

She expected a tart reply, but he only shrugged. His eyes fell on the open sketchbook in her lap. "Can I see?"

"No." Jenny closed the book with a snap. After meeting his eyes for several seconds, she burst out with, "Look, I had no idea you were going to be here." It seemed very important to explain this to him.

Nick laughed dryly. "As in, if you did, you wouldn't have come? I get it. I can't blame you for wanting to avoid me. You must think I'm stalking you. If you're lucky, this will be the last time."

Jenny blinked. "Nick, that's not-"

The door handle turned and she fell silent. A flash of resentment crossed Nick's face as Max entered. "Short and to the point, as always," he said with a shake of his head. "But I realize now that I've been keeping you. Mr. Kestrel, I'll have one of my secretaries phone you to schedule our next appointment. Jenny, I'll see you at the usual time."

Nick nodded at the dismissal and began to gather his notes. He looked perfectly composed except for a slight firmness to his lips. Jenny was distracted from her own task of cleaning up, and several times dropped her pencils as she tried to stuff them into their case. Nick zipped his portfolio and stood, smoothing the creases from his slacks. Almost a full ten seconds passed before Jenny realized that Max had moved from the doorway and was standing beside her.

"I've asked Sera to rouse the driver. He'll be ready for you in ten minutes." Since their first session together, Max had had his driver bring her home in one of his army of Rolls Royces, stating the necessary caution after the attacks on her weeks ago. Jenny couldn't argue with the logic. Her life had been quiet since then, perhaps because of his protection. But that night…

"Thanks, but I think I'll walk." Jenny bent to close her backpack. As she straightened, she looked at Nick. He was standing by Max's desk, as if awaiting permission to leave, listening closely.

The announcement was not one that Max wanted to hear. He frowned and looked her over sharply, his golden eyes probing before speaking. "Jenny, it's dark and it's late. You know why I'd rather-"

"I'll be fine. Honestly. It's a nice night and I want to walk."

Nick cleared his throat. "I'll go with her, sir, if that helps. If Jenny doesn't mind." His eyes fell on her inquiringly.

Jenny shook her head.

Max didn't look pleased, but seemed to realize that there was nothing he could do about it. "Very well," he said shortly. "Sera will see you out." Instantly, his expression changed and he was all geniality and class as he strode across the room to shake Nick's hand. As Jenny started towards the door, Max suddenly reached out and clasped a hand on her shoulder. He squeezed for just a second before letting go. In the hallway, Jenny looked back and saw him standing before the fireplace. Red light flickered on his face.

Outside, night had fallen, leaving only the faintest afterglow of twilight. Silver clouds hovered in the sky, lit by the lights of a vibrant city. Nick and Jenny walked down the front path through the beautiful landscaping in silence. The rolling grass and colorful gardens had always reminded her of an English manor's enchanted grounds. The Gordon mansion was truly a world apart from the city outside. They reached the black iron gates surrounding the property, and a guard stepped silently from the shadows to let them out. Jenny heard the soft hiss of Max's fountain of a marble Minerva before the gate clanked shut behind them and locked, closing them out from the surreal world of wealth.

The air was warm for mid-October. Green hedges lined the road and rustled softly in the breeze, providing a feeling of peace. Jenny couldn't help feeling that it would be short-lived. She was more than regretting her decision to go with him as they walked together down the sidewalk. She didn't know what had prompted it … something about his voice maybe. She only hoped Nick would have the sense to keep his mouth shut. She couldn't handle another conversation like the last one they'd had. When she heard his soft intake of breath, she winced, but what he said was surprising.

"I'm sorry."

Jenny turned to him quickly. When it became clear that she was stunned into silence, he continued, "I had no right to speak to you the way I did last time. Whatever I said, if I hurt you… I never meant it."

"Well, you got that off your chest. Feel better?"

"Not particularly." He was frowning when she glanced at him. "I didn't say it for _my_ peace of mind."

Jenny was beginning to feel embarrassed. "Yeah, well, it wasn't only you. Just forget it, okay? It doesn't matter."

"It does, but I won't argue with you." Nick kicked a pebble on the sidewalk and Jenny watched it roll into the gutter. She dug her hands into the front pocket of her sweatshirt and chewed her lower lip. Echoes of their words lay heavily in the air. She had to change the subject.

"How do you like Max? I've been seeing him for a few weeks now."

Nick's lips tightened. "Seeing him _how_?"

Jenny actually stopped walking to stare at him. "What's up with you?" she asked honestly, wondering at the same time why she cared. Nick faced her slowly, not a bit of humor in his brown eyes.

"I just think-" He seemed to be choosing his words carefully. "-you should be careful around him."

"Around _Max_?" Jenny would have laughed if he didn't look so serious. "What, do you think he's going to pull a gun on me?"

"Not a gun." Jenny waited patiently for clarification, but when he didn't elaborate, she started walking again.

"I don't know what you think, but he's my friend. I trust him." Her tone implied that the subject was closed. Nick took the hint. He walked beside her a little sullenly, hands resting in his coat pockets, his portfolio in the crook of his arm. Jenny tugged absently on her ponytail. Nick was normally so vivacious and talkative. This dark silence was unnerving.

The continued subject of his irritation became clear with his next statement. "Don't you think there's something strange about him?"

Jenny sighed. "Should you be talking that way about your boss?"

"He's a man, Jenny."

"Yeah. I've noticed."

"I don't think you have. You can't treat him like another of your little art projects and expect him to sit and smile while you mold him and let that be it. He might … just be careful, alright?"

Jenny didn't speak for a moment. Indignation was growing in her chest, but the last thing she wanted was to turn this into another yelling match. She took a deep breath to calm the fire. "It's touching that you're trying to be my father. It really is - but you're wrong. You've seen him. He could have any woman in the world he wanted, even without his wealth. I'm just a kid compared to him."

"'You shall yet be far fairer than you are.'" A passing car roaring down the road lit up Nick's face.

"What the hell does _that _mean?"

"Just a quote. From _Antony and Cleopatra_."

Jenny stared at him and then smiled despite herself. "I forgot. You were the best Marc Antony our school had ever seen. You remember that? It was ages ago."

Nick drew himself up, seeming cheered. "I could quote the entire thing if you wanted."

"That's okay. To think, I used to believe you couldn't even read a menu."

"I wouldn't be here attending a top university if that was true."

"I know," she agreed, sighing. "But it's much easier to think of you as a moron. It's just self defense. You're better than me at almost everything. Don't take it personally."

He smiled and his brown eyes lingered on her face before turning to examine some trees on the opposite side of the road. This time their silence was bearable. They walked in contentment another few blocks, each mind active with their own thoughts, before Nick started laughing. Jenny looked around for the source of his amusement. After discovering no trace, she turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"What?"

"Nothing," he insisted and quickly sobered. Jenny shrugged and passed it off as an unexplainable Nickism, but before ten seconds had passed, he was laughing again.

"What _is_ it?"

Nick looked at her, and although his laughter dimmed, it didn't stop. "Nothing. I was just thinking about old Mrs. Greensbury." Jenny stared at him incredulously for a moment before relaxing into a smile. Trust the jerk to bring up something like that at a completely unrelated time.

"With her lazy eye and false teeth?" Jenny giggled, the part of her mind that always warned her to never show feeling around Nick slipping into the background. "What brought her up?"

"I have no idea. I was thinking about the time we saw her trimming her prized rose bushes and decided to 'help' by cutting them ourselves. I think we had just seen _Edward Scissorhands_. Do you remember?"

Jenny nodded, laughter flushing her cheeks. "Yes! I'll never forget the way she screamed. I thought she was going to kill us."

"I bet she wanted to. Remember how she came after us waving her shears? Lucky I was there to help you escape, huh?" He winked.

Jenny stopped laughing. "That's not how I remember it. You tried to grab me and run, but you tripped over her garden hose and sprained your ankle. I ended up pulling you away in that red plastic wagon you used to have."

Nick rolled his eyes. "My hero. Well, it was a stupid thing to do. I never should have listened to you."

"Excuse me, it was _your _idea. You were always getting me into trouble." Jenny glared at him until he broke the tension with another laugh.

"I don't believe this. We're arguing about something that happened a decade ago."

Jenny grinned. "You brought it up." They smiled at each other until Nick's expression faltered and he looked away.

"Don't you miss it?"

"Um… being chased by Mrs. Greensbury?"

"No, this. Us. Just… talking."

Jenny's face flooded with color. Just when they were getting along… "I wasn't the one who ended it. If you don't like it, it's your own fault."

"Believe me, I know. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry a thousand times, but there's only so many times I can say it. We're both older now. I'm still hoping we can forget what's past and try to be friends."

Jenny stayed silent. She was beginning to feel quite miserable. "I don't know," she said finally. "I don't want to hate you or fight with you, but there's so much-" She broke off, seeing his face and the disappointment he was inept at hiding from her. "We can try," she added weakly. "Between Usagi and Max we're probably going to be seeing a lot of each other. We might as well make it work."

A smile lit Nick's face, clearly visible under the streetlight they passed under. For an instant, Jenny forgot to breathe. "That's all I wanted," he said complacently and extended a hand. After a brief hesitation, she took it, feeling the warmth of his skin against her cold fingers.

"Idiot," she said pleasantly, drawing her hand back to keep the situation from becoming too sentimental. His responding laugh made her smile. Maybe she could learn patience with him.

They walked on, completely at ease with each other's company - and oblivious that while they spoke and laughed about the past they were not alone. Something followed them, matching their steps, watching from the deepest shadows. Dark eyes peered out from between the hedges and alternately burned hatred, jealousy, longing, anger and grief. With a shudder of pain, the creature threw back its head and a beastly howl of fury swept through the night.

Several feet ahead, Jenny stopped walking and shivered violently. Her breathing quickened; she stood tensely, listening, her eyes sweeping from side to side. The night air had suddenly seemed to drop twenty degrees. But it wasn't the temperature that bothered her so much as the feeling of being watched. Her teeth chattered nervously. Perhaps it would have been wiser to take Max's car given her past luck.

Nick looked back with concern. "Jen, are you okay?"

"Ye-es." Jenny wasn't sure. She tried to clear her face of worry, but he wasn't convinced.

"Come on," he said, holding out a hand. "It's getting cold." Jenny didn't need him to repeat himself. She hurried ahead and walked beside him much more closely than she normally would have, but at that moment giving herself away was the least of her concerns. Although she felt better with him beside her, she kept casting nervous glances around for the slightest movement in the dark. Jenny was so focused on her senses that she didn't realize how close she had gotten to Nick until she brushed against him and stepped back in surprise.

"What's wrong?" he asked bluntly, unable to dismiss her strange behavior any longer.

But Jenny couldn't tell, as if speaking her fears would make them true. "Nothing," she said and added an attempt at a smile. "Just cold."

"You should have brought a jacket."

"I wasn't expecting Tundra air to blow through. Just shut up, okay?" She stepped beside him again. His body heat and the verbal sparring were strangely comforting - even more so when Nick put his arm around her shoulders. Her first reaction was to stiffen, but she fought the urge to shove him away and yell at him for assuming too much. Just then she didn't mind if Nick protected her … if only for a little while.

Forgetting all inhibitions, Jenny relaxed against him. Feeling his warmth and strong arm around her, it was easy to dismiss her worries. _It should have been like this_, she found herself thinking hazily. _All along_.

Jenny had just rested her head against his chest when a bright flash of light burst into existence. In an instant, Nick was pulled away from her. She cried out in protest but the light disappeared so suddenly that she stood stunned and shivering in the dark. Shakily, she spun in a circle. What had happened?

What she saw made her mouth drop open. Nick was lying on his back in the road. He wasn't alone. An extraordinarily beautiful woman with pink skin and snowy white hair was straddling him. "Woman" was an inadequate description, for a pair of pink cat ears poked up from the top her head and a long white tail swished lazily. She was clad only in a silver bikini.

Jenny got over her shock with a quick flash of jealousy. The cat woman was toying with Nick's hair and upper arms, actually purring in contentment. Not that he seemed to mind. He lay on the asphalt, either too stunned to consider moving or completely entranced by her beauty.

Jenny preferred the former. She took a step toward them. Whatever this feline was, it didn't seem dangerous. "Hey," she started angrily, "what are you doing? Get off him."

The cat woman spun around and hissed with bared fangs before turning back to her prey, snuggling more suggestively against him. Jenny clenched her fists. She wished Nick would say something or try to move. He was probably too busy staring at the double-D breasts that were falling out of her top.

_He's dead, _Jenny thought, folding her arms across her own inadequate chest. _They're both dead._

"That's it, kitty," she said sourly and when she was again ignored, she muttered, "All right, fine," and dropped her backpack on the road before running towards them. With an angry yowl, the cat woman was pulled off Nick and she and Jenny rolled into a heap on the road. The playful, seductive mood didn't last. Jenny's breath was knocked away as the cat woman easily pinned her. With a roar, she morphed into a tigress with golden hair and a striped short dress. The creature growled threateningly, and Jenny's attention was drawn to its paws. She wished she had noticed the thick claws before attacking it.

"Jenny!" Nick cried, but she couldn't tell if the note in his voice was concern for her or anger at her taking the woman away from him. She didn't have long to ponder, for the tigress lifted one enormous paw and positioned it over Jenny's face, ready to swipe.

Jenny screamed.

0 0 0

"Did you hear that?"

Usagi slowly opened her eyes. Mamoru's concerned face was peering anxiously over his shoulder. He had pulled back from their kiss so suddenly that Usagi was left quite breathless. She hadn't heard a sound apart from the music of angels playing harps and voices raised in a joyous chorus in her mind. She and Mamoru had taken advantage of the warm night to take a walk under the starlit sky. Trees sheltered them in their own private world, and up until a moment ago it had been heaven. Usagi glanced at him hopefully, but kissing her seemed to be the last thing on his mind.

"Heard what?" she asked a little impatiently. Dearly as she loved him, Mamoru could be severely unromantic at times.

"A scream. Just a moment ago." Mamoru's head was cocked and he stood so still listening to the night. Usagi reached for his arm and was surprised to feel how tense his muscles were.

"Mamo-chan, I didn't hear anything." Usagi reached up and took his face between her palms to turn him gently towards her. Her touch relaxed him, and he took one of her hands to kiss it.

"Maybe you're right. Now where - no, there it is again."

This time Usagi heard it too. A girl's scream followed by a frustrated howl from something else. Startled, she met Mamoru's eyes and saw her concern mirrored there. Somehow, she knew who that scream belonged to.

"Oh my God," she whispered. "Jenny-san … "

Her eyes locked with Mamoru's and he reached for her hand before they took off down the street together.

0 0 0

Jenny squeezed her eyes shut and screamed again, preparing for the pain. She heard Nick scrambling towards them with a desperate hope. The cat woman's weight against her was solid as a steel beam, but before the claws pierced her skin, the creature rolled off her with a shriek. Jenny opened her eyes moments before Nick reached her. She held out her hands and he pulled her up. Together, they backed away, shielded in each other's arms.

The tigress writhed and howled on the ground. Dark blue crackling electricity shook her body. Slowly, it faded and she sat up, panting and glaring. She began to glow again, and after a flash of light, she stood as a tall beautiful woman with messy red hair and golden cat eyes that glittered hostility.

"What did you do that for?" she demanded in a voice that would have been sweet had it not been laced with malice. Jenny thought she was speaking to them, until another voice answered from the shadows.

"Don't be hasty, Calcite. You know our orders." A man stepped into the light, tall and broad-shouldered with waist-length dark hair and piercing blue eyes. Through her confusion, Jenny felt a shock of panic burst in her chest. Here was an incarnation of evil, cold and merciless. Everything inside her screamed warning. Nick's arms tightened around her. She heard his slight intake of breath.

"Our business is not with her tonight," the man continued, his eyes roving from Jenny to Nick.

"You always deny me my fun," Calcite whined. Quick as a red bolt of lightning, she shot forward and stood beside them. She stroked Nick's cheek. "It is a pity," she said sweetly, her voice almost purring. "He _is_ a handsome one."

Something inside Jenny snapped. It was one thing for these creatures to follow and bother her, but Nick… She stepped forward and pushed the woman away from them with all her strength. Calcite cried out and stumbled back with flailing arms. Instead of getting angry, she laughed and sized her up with delight.

"You've got fire, little girl. I can see now why he might want you."

Nick tried to grab her shoulders and pull her back, but Jenny shook him off. "Don't play," she said quietly. "I know it's me you're after. Let him go and I'll-"

"No," Nick interrupted fiercely. "Jen, don't. They're not taking you."

Calcite shook her head, her harsh laughter echoing in the darkness. "That's just it, precious. Neither of you get it. Do you think that you or anyone could stop my Lord Ahriman from getting exactly what he wants? He could take her at any moment, but she isn't ready. When the time comes, what are going to do about it?"

The man stepped forward impatiently. "Enough. We're not here to play games."

Calcite's smile became nasty. "I know, Azurite. Work your magic." With another quick movement, she seized Jenny's arm and pulled her away from Nick. Nick stepped towards them, but in an instant Azurite stood before him, blocking the way. Calcite flipped Jenny around so they were both facing the men.

"No struggling," she breathed in her ear with a soft laugh. "I have been ordered not to harm you, but I'm can't be held responsible for what happens under extreme aggravation."

"Then what are we doing?" Jenny gasped. Calcite's grip was tight; she could hardly breathe.

"Enjoying the show."

In a moment of horror, Jenny understood. Despite Calcite's warning, she fought to free herself. "No, no!" she screamed. Calcite laughed as Jenny struggled, her arms like iron bands. Azurite was circling Nick like a vulture eyeing a meal. Only a slight tremor betrayed Nick's fear.

"I bring a message from my lord," Azurite told him congenially before delivering a blow to his stomach. Nick bent over, staggering, his papers scattering on the ground. Before he could recover another one came aimed at his head. Jenny screamed. It was horrible to watch, much worse than if it had been happening to her. After every punch and kick, Nick made an attempt to straighten and maintain eye contact with his attacker, but most of his energy was focused on breathing. Occasionally he made an effort to hit back, but Azurite darted around him with inhuman speed, delivering strikes too swift for Nick to deflect.

Jenny's cheeks were wet and cold with tears. Calcite laughed in her ear, the sound like a wild bird. The beating went on so long that Jenny was amazed Nick could stand. His face was bruised and bleeding, his body shaking, and yet through all his pain, every few seconds he looked over at Jenny to make sure she wasn't being harmed. Jenny had long since ceased fighting Calcite's grip. She was trembling so badly that if Calcite hadn't been holding her up, she would have fallen to the ground. Azurite's face was ablaze with passion; his hands and clothes were streaked with Nick's blood.

Finally came the blow that caused Nick to collapse. He hit the cold pavement and didn't move. Energy shot back through Jenny's limbs and she fought so hard that Calcite cried out and had to struggle to hold her back. Azurite's sick laughter shook the air. He lifted his leg and prepared to stomp on Nick's face.

"_Stop_!" The cry rang out through the night. Azurite hesitated, his foot dangling inches before Nick's head. Silver wings glowed in the distance and a girl hurried forward. Jenny stopped struggling, caught with wonder. She recognized the figure; she had seen her often on the news. A masked man stepped out of the darkness beside her. Jenny thought they looked extraordinarily pale as they looked at Nick.

Azurite stepped back, smirking. "Ah, Eternal Sailormoon and her bodyguard. We were expecting you."

Nick stirred on the ground. Jenny felt powerful relief as he lifted his head. "Took you long enough," he muttered, coughing. A trickle of blood dripped from his lips.

Sailormoon's small face was tight with concern as she glanced from him to Azurite. "I hoped we wouldn't be seeing you again. But let's not waste time with small talk." Jenny marveled at how young she sounded.

"We're not here to fight you, my dear," Azurite informed her. "Not this time. We just came to … prove a point."

"Yes." It was Calcite who spoke this time, her chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. "My lord's power has grown. Your ideals of love and goodness will amount to nothing. You can't save her." She gave Jenny a spiteful pinch.

"Watch me," Sailormoon said heatedly.

"Oh, you can have her. She is no use to us now," Calcite said in a saccharine tone and pushed Jenny away with such force that she tumbled to the sidewalk. Jenny lifted her scraped palms, but paid little attention as she scrambled forward to Nick. He was breathing with quick shallow breaths but opened his eyes when she reached him. He even smiled. The blood dried on his lips was a disturbing sight.

"Bet you've never seen me look so good," he wheezed.

Jenny wasn't amused. "I'm so sorry," she choked out. Her tears dripped onto his face. He looked horrible, his skin a mass of red, white and black.

Nick started to shrug but ended up wincing instead. "Believe it or not, darling, you've caused me worse pain." With that, he closed his eyes, released for a little while. Jenny glued her eyes to his chest, watching desperately for continued movement. His tie and several buttons of his previously immaculate shirt were undone.

"I'm afraid we must part." Azurite gave an elaborate bow and then looked mockingly at Sailormoon and her companion. "But just so you didn't come here for nothing… " He waved his arms and seven demons of varying sizes and colors appeared on the sidewalk, waving their claws and gnashing their teeth as monsters must.

"Until next time," Calcite called out and she and Azurite disappeared with a pop, their laughter echoing long after they had gone. Sailormoon and the man rushed up beside Jenny and Nick and stood as a shield between them and the demons.

"Jenny-san, get out of here!" Sailormoon cried. Jenny looked at her dumbly, wondering vaguely how Sailormoon knew her name.

"I can't," she gasped, gesturing down at Nick. Sailormoon opened her mouth to protest, but had no more time for objections because the demons were upon her. Jenny never knew how long the fight took. Time passed as if in slow motion, punctuated with flashes of light and cries in the darkness. She watched Sailormoon and the masked man take on the monsters until they fell one by one. Curiously, the demons steered clear of her. At one point a squid-like demon made a move towards Nick, but halted when Jenny shielded him with her body. When she looked up again, the demons were gone and the street was quiet.

Sailormoon, her chest rising and falling with exhaustion, knelt beside her. "I told you to leave," she scolded, but with a faint edge of pride in her voice. She bit her lip as she looked at Nick and made a quick movement as if to touch him, but seemed to change her mind. After exchanging a glance with her partner, she leapt to her feet and gave Jenny a forced smile.

"He'll be okay," the man told her earnestly and Sailormoon nodded. "We must go."

"Wait!" Jenny cried, but they ran off into the darkness. Jenny stared after them in stunned silence. _Now_ what was she supposed to do?

Nick gave a little moan and she looked down at him with concern. She gingerly touched his cheek, and was surprised to feel how cool it was. He moved slightly at her touch and his eyelashes fluttered, but his eyes stayed shut. Jenny brushed his hair back from his forehead. Her own ponytail was loose and hair hung in her eyes, but she didn't care.

"Jenny-san!" A voice called her name and she looked up, thinking that Sailormoon and her companion had returned, but the face she saw rushing towards her was the one she saw every night before she went to sleep. Jenny had never been so relieved.

"Usagi!" she cried and reached out a hand to welcome her. Usagi took it and knelt on the ground beside her. "It's Nick," Jenny choked out. "He's …we have to call an ambulance."

"Let me see," a soft voice advised and Mamoru lowered himself on the other side of Nick. After looking at him intently for a moment, he looked up at Jenny and smiled thinly. "He'll be fine," he assured her, and his voice had its usual calming effect on her. "I'll take care of him. Usako, will you take her home?"

"Of course," Usagi replied steadily, and her hand gripped Jenny's comfortingly. She helped Jenny to her feet and placed an arm around her waist before bending down to pick up Jenny's backpack. Jenny was reluctant to leave Nick so pale and motionless on the ground, but such confusion and shock raged through her mind that she found herself allowing Usagi to lead her away.

"What happened?" Usagi asked after they had walked several blocks, and Jenny found herself spilling the story, every horrible detail. Usagi listened with quiet compassion, squeezing her hand and murmuring nonsense at all the right moments. When Jenny described what Azurite had done to Nick, her eyes narrowed and she clenched her teeth, but didn't make a sound.

"I forgot to thank her," Jenny finished as they walked up the path to their house. "Sailormoon, I mean. I never got to tell her how grateful I am."

Usagi smiled. "She knows. Believe me, she does."

The girls entered the house together.

0 0 0

An hour later Jenny and Usagi sat quietly in their room. Usagi had helped a shaky Jenny wash up and change into her night clothes before persuading her to drink a cup of tea. Jenny sat on her bed sipping it, her skinny legs hugged to her chest with her other arm. She looked calmer, but tired and sad as she gazed out the window. Usagi sat beside her. For the first time, she felt that Jenny was truly her sister, although she couldn't have explained why it struck her so powerfully at that moment.

Maybe her misery was the only explanation she needed. "Why are you being so nice to me?" Jenny asked suddenly, turning to her with troubled eyes.

Usagi hesitated. "I guess… because I like you. Despite everything."

Jenny turned back to the window. "I don't deserve it. I've been rotten to you."

"It's been mutual."

"But I started it." Jenny's shoulders tensed suddenly, as if bracing herself to say something. "Because… because of Mamoru."

This was a shock. "Mamo-chan?"

"It was a stupid crush," she said quickly, turning back to face Usagi. "When he saved me at the airport… but it doesn't matter. I'm over it, and I've seen you together. You're right."

Usagi felt as if the last piece of the puzzle had clicked into place. "It's okay. I know there's someone out there for you." She was thinking about Nick in particular. Seeing them together on the road had been a revelation. She had suspected Nick's feelings for Jenny (even though she hadn't understood them), but hadn't thought they were mutual until witnessing Jenny childishly trying to protect him. She had cried over his body and refused to leave him, even knowing the potential danger to herself.

"You care for Nick, don't you?" Usagi asked suddenly, trying not to make her voice incriminating. Jenny lifted her head from her knees. She looked surprised at the suggestion.

"No… yes. It's complicated."

"Why does it have to be?" Jenny made no answer. Her eyes gazed at the glittering stars outside. Finally she turned back to Usagi and carefully set her empty cup on the nightstand.

"It doesn't matter. I can't see him again."

Usagi blinked and sat back with a frown. "Why not?"

"He was attacked because of me. Because he happened to be there. I can't let that happen again. You too," she said suddenly, looking at Usagi. "You shouldn't walk with me to school anymore."

"I can take care of myself," Usagi said firmly. "I'm much more worried about you. And I don't think Nick will appreciate you cutting him out for his own good. I know him. He won't listen."

"He will if he thinks I don't want to see him. Don't say anything to him, Usagi. Please." Usagi frowned, meeting Jenny's serious eyes. She didn't believe lying to protect someone else and avoiding them was a good idea. Mamoru had broken her heart when he'd tried it in the past, and they had both learned from the mistake. Jenny, sensing hesitation, grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "_Please_," she repeated.

Usagi sighed. "Okay, but I think it's unnecessary."

Jenny was satisfied. "Thanks." She dropped Usagi's hand. Outside, a meteor shot across the sky, crashing down to earth. Words had run out, and together they sat, looking out at the night.


	9. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**

O be less beautiful, or be less brief  
-Sir William Watson

Humming happily, Usagi trotted down the hallway. All around her, students were shutting their lockers for the final time before the weekend. She caught snippets of conversation as she drifted by: of students making plans for the rest of the Saturday afternoon, squealing over the sale at a trendy clothing store, discussing the latest C.D. that had come out from a popular songstress, and giving out final details for a Halloween party one of her male classmates was having (costumes required). She passed Brenna and Alyson, whose heads were bent together as they bickered animatedly. They paused long enough to wave and smile at her before diving back in to argue.

Usagi passed them without comment. Her mind was filled with Mamoru, as it so often was. The thought of being with him, even now, sent her senses into overdrive, as if she couldn't think properly unless she was physically near him. Lately being able to carve out segments of time that were solely devoted to each other was rare. That night he was taking her out to dinner at a new Thai restaurant he had discovered. She was looking forward to spending time alone with him, away from senshi business and away from the increasing drama surrounding Jenny and Nick that had lately dominated their conversations.

Several disgruntled cries caught Usagi's attention. She looked up. A storm cloud in the form of a tall American girl thundered down the hallway, dark hair blowing behind her. She walked determinedly, either unaware of or not caring about the slighter Japanese students who had to leap out of her path. Her expression was dark and forbidding. The few boys who were tall enough to meet her eyes averted their gazes. Seeing her gave Usagi a sinking feeling. She could sense her perfect night with Mamoru crumbling beneath Kelly's feet. Wondering what could possibly have gone wrong, Usagi plastered a bright smile on her face.

"Hi, Virida-san! Where are you – _hey_!" She broke off with a cry of surprise when Kelly grabbed her wrist and, without slowing her pace or even bothering to look at her, proceeded to drag her down the hallway. Hordes of curious students, some giggling and pointing openly, watched them go.

"Wait, what are you–"

"Just shut up," Kelly said roughly, rounding a corner and tugging Usagi along with her. Usagi shut up. She said nothing while Kelly pulled her up a flight of stairs, past their wide-eyed classmates. Down the second hallway, she chanced a glance at Kelly's furrowed brow and stormy green eyes. No need to guess what was making her nearly shake with tension. It had to be Jenny. It was always Jenny.

Only last week Kelly had furiously cornered Usagi after lunch after Jenny had happily described to them how she had spent the previous afternoon sketching various sculptures in downtown Tokyo. Alone. How this was her fault, Usagi was still unclear. Kelly was the psychic one. If Jenny was going to skip class to run off and draw, Kelly should have known. But nothing had happened, and after Jenny proudly displayed her drawings to her later that night, Usagi couldn't help feeling that the afternoon hadn't been wasted.

The final door they burst through opened up to the roof. Swirling grey clouds danced in the sky above their heads, a perfect complement to Kelly's dark mood. Kelly peered around the roof to make sure that they were alone before releasing her. Without looking at Usagi, she strode forward to thread her fingers through the chain-link fence that surrounded the edges of the roof. She stared out onto the school grounds without speaking. Usagi pulled her wrist in to her chest to cradle it. She massaged it with her other hand. She was a little resentful of Kelly yanking her around, but she did her best to keep the bitterness out of her voice when she spoke.

"If this is about Jenny-san, you know she always spends Saturday afternoons with Gordon-san. I'm sure she's been picked up by his driver, and is on her way there now." Usagi tried to keep her voice light and reassuring, but Kelly still did not move. Suddenly, Usagi was struck with a terrible thought. What if Kelly was not there to yell at her for failing to take Jenny's security seriously, but to tell her some terrible news? What if Jenny had snuck away from school again and gotten herself captured, or worse? What if they were too late to save her, and all their weeks of plotting and planning for Jenny's safety were worth nothing?

"Virida-san, tell me," Usagi said quietly, creeping up beside her. Kelly turned her head and looked down at her. Her mouth was set in an expressionless line, but her eyes were serious.

"Do you have anything to wear for Halloween?"

At first, Usagi just stared, trying to work the remark around in her brain. She failed almost instantly to make sense out of it, and let out a politely incredulous, "What?"

"A costume," Kelly said, turning to face her fully. She placed her right hand on her hip and looked Usagi up and down, frowning slightly. "It's this thing we do. Every Halloween you're supposed to dress up and–"

"I know what it is," Usagi said a little sharply. Who didn't know about Halloween? The holiday had never quite caught on in Japan, but there was the occasional party at a Tokyo club or a private residence.

"Good. Well, if you don't have a costume, you're going to need to get one. I need you with me tonight."

It took Usagi a moment to understand what Kelly was talking about. And then she remembered. Of course. Jenny had been chattering about it all week. She, Kelly, Brenna and Alyson along with Brenna's two roommates were going out to a club that held an annual Halloween celebration. Jenny seemed to be caught between excitement and apprehension about it. The apprehension mainly came from the fact that she had agreed to a makeover that Brenna had suggested, after Brenna heavily hinted that she would be embarrassed to go anywhere in public with Jenny without some drastic changes.

"I need you there," Kelly repeated. Her fingers tightened on the fence as she looked at Usagi pleadingly. "I think something's going to happen."

"To Jenny?" Usagi asked, surprised. The vision of her evening with Mamoru was deflating slowly like a balloon with a pinprick. "But you're going to be in a club. Surely he's not going to try anything in such a crowded place."

"That's exactly the point. It's crowded, and everyone is going to be in costume. Think how easy it'll be for him to lose himself in the crowd. And with so many people around, it'll be harder for me to lock in on his presence. He could take her in an instant, and I'd never know." Kelly snapped her fingers. Her eyes looked slightly wild.

"If you think something's going to happen, why not just try to talk her out of going?" Usagi asked reasonably.

"You think I haven't tried? She's really looking forward to this. Besides breaking her arm and creating a reason for her to stay home, I can't stop her."

Usagi swallowed uneasily. Kelly's expression worried her. It was clear that the thought of something stalking Jenny in a dark club where she couldn't keep her constantly under watch was making her unhinged. "You know," she started hesitantly, knowing how Kelly was going to react, "if we just tell her what she's facing, all this precaution is unnecessary-"

"Out of the question. We've discussed this enough. The timing isn't right."

Usagi sighed. "Okay. Well, what do you think is going to happen tonight?"

"I don't know, but it feels like a trap. I can feel him drawing closer, closing in on her – on us. I can protect her at school. I know she's safe at home with you. But I can't be there watching over her every second in a crowd where anyone wearing a mask could be the enemy. I'd feel a lot better if you were there to back me up."

Unexpectedly, Usagi's eyes began to sting. It was Kelly's confidence in her, the plea in her eyes. The fact that Kelly trusted her enough to want her to be her partner in what she saw as the most important job in the universe. Usagi felt her head jerk in a nod. How could she say no? Instantly, some of the tension left Kelly's shoulders.

"Good. I'll get you directions to Brenna's apartment. We're meeting there at nine before we walk over to the Starfire Club. I'll let her know to expect you. Wear a costume. Don't worry about the cover fee. Brenna's roommate knows the bouncer, and she's pretty sure we can all get in for free. And Usagi - thanks. I mean it."

Usagi nodded again after the flurry of speech as Kelly strode past her. She didn't move from her spot by the fence. She was wondering how she was going to explain to Mamoru that their plans had changed.

0 0 0

Jenny stared at her reflection on the glassy surface. A room full of candles glimmered light to shine back at her. Returning her gaze was an angel with eyes blue as a pale spring sky and silvery-blonde hair that shone like a metallic liquid as it rested against her shoulders. A long sleeveless dress of pure white fell from her shoulders to the floor, softly clinging to her body. Silver wings sprouted from the back of her dress, and a golden halo rested above her head. She looked like an angel in a classic depiction of the paradise-dwellers, but the expression marring her features was anything but heavenly.

"Didn't I tell you?" Brenna said proudly. "You should have believed me before. You're a hottie."

That was a matter of opinion. Jenny leaned closer to the mirror above Brenna's ancient and scratched vanity table and itched her left shoulder. The dress might look softly divine, but the fabric was actually quite scratchy. She straightened her halo (it had been resting lopsided on her head), and blinked suspiciously at the effect. The angel stared unhappily back at her.

She shook her head. "I can't do this."

"Don't be stupid." Brenna examined her nails, painted black and scarlet. Except for her red hair, she could have stumbled out of the pages of a steamy Arabian tale. She was dressed as a belly dancer in a light gauzy fabric that jangled with beads and showed off her stomach. She looked beautiful and very sexy, even while glaring at Jenny with eyes hard as jade. "You can't back out now. Do you have any idea how much time and money I've spent on you? Hold still."

Jenny sighed and allowed Brenna to continue fussing with her hair. All afternoon she had been subjected to one torture after another, starting when Brenna dragged her to a salon called Pink Diamond after school. One look at the vivid pink décor and Jenny had tried to escape. She had protested, argued and even pleaded, but Brenna piled enough guilt on her already leaden conscience that she'd had to agree. Jenny had spent the next two hours staring miserably at a shocking display of painted fuchsia flamingos on the walls while a girl in a pink wig stripped the red color from her hair and re-dyed the strands to match her blonde roots. Angels, Brenna had explained, didn't have bad dye jobs. Her look had to be all natural.

"There!" Brenna said triumphantly, standing back to look at her protégé. Jenny felt like a show horse as Brenna examined her. Her friend's expression was pleased, but Jenny felt naked without her familiar clothes and hair. The dim lights and the smell of scented candles overpowering the room made her dizzy. Her reflection blurred and rippled in the mirror. She had always thought she looked too young, too innocent, too scared. But the girl she saw in the mirror was in no way reminiscent of the fourteen year old girl who had turned to multicolored hair and piercings as a way of masking herself. She appeared older, wiser, prettier. It scared her, in a way, to see her familiar eyes peering out from the being in the mirror. She appeared otherworldly and unrecognizable, a sprite all in white with pale hair, skin and eyes.

At least Brenna was satisfied. She hummed to herself as she shoved her scattered cosmetics into an empty drawer, signaling an end to Jenny's misery. "I'm going to see if the others are ready," she announced before exiting her bedroom, beads jangling all the way. She left the door slightly ajar, and sounds drifted in from the living room, a soft murmur of voices and clinking glasses. Jenny recognized Usagi's nervous laugh and smiled. She had been surprised but pleased when Usagi had told her that afternoon that she and Mamoru were coming out with them.

Jenny turned to the mirror one final time to fiddle with her halo. That was when she heard _it_. A smooth male voice followed by a rich warm laugh. Jenny stopped dead, her arms poised awkwardly above her head. She listened, initial warmth giving way to icy-cold horror. Her heart slammed against her ribcage like a small bowling ball. Slowly, she lowered her hands to Brenna's dresser. Her nails dug into the wood. It sounded like him. But no, surely not… of all the places in Tokyo, he couldn't be _there_.

Of course he could. That was the problem. Aside from his incomprehensible ability to pop up in places he shouldn't be, Nick could have easily come along with Usagi and Mamoru. If Usagi had brought him… oh, Jenny was going to kill her.

Jenny slipped around the back of the open door and peered through the crack between the door and the doorframe. Her friends were scattered around the living room. Alyson stood in front of the mirror hanging on the opposite wall, examining her reflection. Her golden hair was pinned up and she wore a long frilly red gown with a feathered scarlet mask, a princess preparing to go to a costume ball. Brenna was standing with her roommate, Dalila, near the front door. Dalila Adia Eshe was an beautiful nineteen-year-old ballet instructor from South Africa, with flawless dark skin, curly dark hair, stormy blue eyes and a calming aura. She was wearing one of her ballet costumes, pink with delicate silk roses decorating the waist. Kelly was sitting on the worn leather sofa talking to Brenna's other roommate, Lyyli Viljo, a tall twenty-one-year old English teacher's aide from Finland. Lyyli had a perpetual look of sparkling mischief, eyes of a vivid cerulean and long light blue hair that she rarely wore out of a ponytail. Right then she was donning plastic fangs and a long black cape. Kelly wore no costume: she had refused to participate from the beginning, despite Brenna's pleas. Behind them stood Usagi and Mamoru. Mamoru looked very dashing as a cowboy, and Usagi wore a head-to-toe, puffy pink bunny suit that resembled Ralphie's pajamas from _A Christmas Story_. Jenny couldn't even bring herself to chuckle properly at Usagi for missing the point of Halloween. Her attention was caught by only one person.

He was talking to Brenna and Dalila. His back was to Jenny, but she _knew_ him. The way he confidently stood, one hand on Dalila's arm as he laughed, the way his dark hair brushed the back of his neck. When he turned his head slightly to say something to Brenna, Jenny felt nauseous. His face still bore the faint marks from the beating he had received three weeks ago. The bruises on his cheeks had faded to a sickly yellow and there was a scab above one eye that was nearly healed. Jenny hadn't seen him since that night. She had managed to push the incident to the back of her mind, but suddenly the guilt and the horror were back, tearing at her more strongly than ever.

_Okay, breathe. You can do this_. Jenny took a step away from the door, her hand pressed to the base of her throat. Her pulse vibrated beneath her fingertips. She cast a nervous glance at her reflection, and saw herself shrinking and pale by the candlelight. A wave of horror rushed through her; he couldn't see her like that. Slowly she breathed in and out until she was able to stand straighter and unclench her fingers. She knew she was being stupid. Her surprise at seeing him was justified, but there was no reason to worry.

No reason at all. Except that she had avoided Nick and ignored his calls and refused to see him repeatedly when he came over until a deeply regretful Usagi was forced to tell him the truth - that Jenny didn't want to see him. If he hated her now, he was right to do so.

_Oh God_, Jenny thought, her confidence wavering again. So many times, in the past few weeks, she had wondered what she would say to him when she saw him again. It was for his own good that she had avoided him, and hers as well, for nothing positive ever came into her life when he was involved. That was what she had told herself, even as she frequently pestered Usagi to get updates from Mamoru on Nick's health. She had found herself thinking of him at odd moments, his face popping before her mind's eye, bloodied and swollen. And the way he had looked at her before he fainted, content through his pain simply because she hadn't left him. He had thought they were friends. He couldn't possibly be that deluded any longer.

Since Brenna's bedroom didn't provide a convenient escape route, the sooner she got it over with the better. Clenching her teeth, Jenny nudged open the door and stepped into the living room. Alyson was the first to notice her. Her eyes met Jenny's in the mirror across the room and her jaw dropped. She spun around, her violet irises completely surrounded by white as she took in Jenny's new look. Jenny self-consciously brought a hand to her hair, pressing her fingers against the silky strands. Brenna hadn't told anyone what she was planning.

"Do you like it?" she asked worriedly. She kept her eyes glued to Alyson, forcing herself not to turn her head. She was very aware of Nick's presence in her peripheral vision.

"Like it? It's fantastic. The hair, the clothes." Even as she spoke the compliment, Alyson looked jealous. She frowned down at her own costume, as though Jenny's had put hers to shame.

"Of course it is. It was my idea." Brenna peered smugly over Nick's shoulder. At her words, the others in the room curiously turned and looked Jenny over with various levels of surprise and admiration. Lyyli whistled softly. Beside her, Kelly wore a very strange expression. Her lips were twitching, but not as if she was about to smile or laugh. Usagi's reaction was almost comical: one look at Jenny and her cheeks paled until they were white as eggshells. She made a sudden movement, but Mamoru grabbed her by the shoulders and held her back. They both stared.

Jenny was too focused on Nick to worry about it. He was the last to turn. He had been smiling at something Dalila whispered to him, but the instant he saw her, his smile leaked away. He was surprised to see her (maybe Usagi _hadn't_ brought him), and from the look on his face, it didn't appear to be a good thing. Jenny couldn't meet his eyes. She focused on his costume: green hat with a red feather poking through the top, a long forest green cape and a brown tunic that reached his knees over soft brown slacks. A plastic bow and a satchel of arrows were slung over his shoulder. Robin Hood. She had seen him wear a similar costume before, the Halloween when they were six and nine. She had gone as Maid Marion.

Without so much as a blink, Nick turned back to Dalila. Whatever he said made her laugh. Jenny stood very still, looking at them. She felt oddly hollow inside. She had expected… something more. Some acknowledgement, whether disgust or scorn. _Anything_. But from his lack of reaction, they may as well have been strangers.

Conversations resumed after the brief interlude. Jenny hovered alone near the doorway to Brenna's bedroom. The worst was over. She should be relieved, but she didn't feel any more relaxed. She spotted several empty glasses on the coffee table beside Kelly and Lyyli, and busied herself with collecting them. She didn't look at Nick as she passed him to bring the cups into the small kitchen.

Once inside, Jenny placed the glasses in the sink and then leaned her hands against the counter, drawing out a long breath. What had she been thinking to agree to this? She had known, some part of her had known, that the night would be a disaster. To think, rather than subject herself to this Halloween nightmare, she could have stayed in with Max and tried out her new oil pastels…

The dark window above the sink reflected movement. Jenny looked up. Robin Hood had entered the kitchen. Feeling like a trapped bird, she swung around. If only the wings on her back were real, she would soar out the window and escape into the night. She gripped the counter behind her. Her eyes darted behind him to the doorway to gauge the distance back to the living room. It was too far. Resigned, she braced herself for him to speak.

Nick didn't look at her as he carefully placed his empty can of Coke on the counter. He stood still for a moment, his fingers playing with the metal tab of the can. Finally, when Jenny was getting ready to sprint, he looked up. "I thought you would go for green this time," he said.

Jenny stared at him. "What?" she finally said, failing to make sense of his conversation starter.

"Your hair. How many has it been now? Blue. Black with bleached streaks. Red. I suppose I missed a few more colors after I left. Why did you go back now?"

Unexpectedly, Jenny was having a hard time catching her breath. He sounded so casual. His forced calmness told her he was trying to be as polite and distant as he could. Was it possible that he was going to let her get away with the way she had acted towards him the last few weeks? "Blame Brenna," she said finally, watching him closely. "I didn't have much choice, to be honest. Personally, I thought it was time for violet."

A flash of a smile crossed Nick's face as he glanced quickly up at her and then back down at the Coke can. He detached the tab from the top of the can and dropped it neatly into the metal opening. Encouraged by the lack of animosity, Jenny started speaking again. "Um… Did Usagi invite you?" She wanted to determine what level of pain her host sister was entitled to later.

"Lila, actually. We used to live together." He didn't quite meet her eyes.

Memory flashed through Jenny's mind. Nick's hand on Dalila's arm, the two of them laughing together as she spied from behind Brenna's door. They had looked so comfortable together, like siblings… or something entirely different. Jenny had a wild desire to ask him what that meant, but stopped herself. What did she care?

While she was trying to work out what to say next, Nick removed his hat and restlessly ran a hand through his dark hair. He replaced it, flattening down his bangs. "If you want me to leave, I will," he said suddenly. Jenny was stunned. Of all the things she had imagined would come out of his mouth, that wasn't even close. The knot squeezing her lungs loosened slightly.

"Stay. Why would I mind?" At that moment, she meant it. They looked at each other for another few seconds before Jenny shifted uncomfortably.

"Um, if that's all…"

"No, that's… Jen, wait!" As Jenny made a movement to walk past him, Nick actually took hold of her wrist to prevent her from leaving. She wrenched her arm out of his grip as a reflex, but immediately regretted it from the hurt look that flashed across his face. Nick looked down at his hand, his expression grim.

"I see. I guess I was right." He sounded so bitter that Jenny was taken aback.

"About what?"

"You. It's just that part of me thought we were finally friends. You seemed to really care when… you know." He made a light punching motion with his left hand – as if she needed the reminder. "And I thought for days that there had to be an explanation for why you didn't call or come by to see if I was okay. Stupid, right?" He laughed humorlessly.

Jenny felt stung. "Nick…" she started, but he rushed on.

"Did you care at all? Like, maybe for a second feel sad or pity or something?" When she didn't respond, he added glumly, "No, why should you? That's the point, isn't it?"

Something stirred in Jenny's chest as she realized. He wasn't angry or annoyed with her. He was hurt. She had hurt him beyond her imagining by refusing to see him. In the past, this would have given her pleasure, but now she felt no sense of triumph.

"Of course I cared. You know I did," she said before she could stop herself. They were standing so close that Jenny could feel his heat rising from beneath his Robin Hood costume. She was suddenly struck by the physical nearness of him. He was so handsome…his black hair falling haphazardly across his forehead…the smooth line of his jaw…his chocolate eyes framed by thick dark eyelashes…those lips, soft and slightly parted to exhale quickened breath that made his chest rise and fall. She found herself leaning towards him, caught by his gravitational pull…

Jenny felt her cheeks warm. She quickly averted her gaze. "I knew you were okay. Mamoru told us. I was glad to hear it."

"But you didn't–"

"What was I supposed to do, Nick? Nurse you back to health?"

"No, I just thought–"

"Well, next time you get beaten up by some crazy guy I'll send you flowers, okay?" she said irritably.

A mask slammed down across Nick's face. All emotion was squelched from his expression. She knew he was an actor, but it was still startling to see just how dead he could make his eyes. "Next time? It only happened because I was with you. Not exactly a repeat occurrence, is it?" Without another word, he turned and strode from the kitchen. Jenny watched him go, curiously numb. Why though? This was what she had wanted, to break all ties with him. If Nick had accepted it, all the better.

_After all, _she thought bitterly,_ it's not my responsibility to help him ease his conscience over letting them all torment me for so many years._

She forced a smile onto her lips and followed Nick back into the living room.

0 0 0

It was as loud and chaotic as she had thought it would be. Jenny felt light-headed as she entered the club. An army of goblins and ghosts danced and writhed before her eyes like a scene from hell. Colored strobe lights flashed, making the dancers move jerkily and glow with unnatural light. The pounding music of a techno dance tune throbbed through every nerve in her body. The very air seemed foggy and charged with crackling electricity. Jenny could see how someone like Brenna, who thrived on excitement, could get high on the atmosphere.

Her friend's cheeks were flushed as she grinned. "Isn't this great?" Brenna shouted. Jenny didn't respond. Alyson was showing signs of interest as she peered around, but Kelly was frowning at the crowd, her eyes appearing almost black in the dim light. Usagi and Mamoru had already disappeared.

Brenna wasn't the only one responding to the surroundings. Jenny could see the same reckless excitement light up Nick's face. The quiet detachment that had clouded him during the walk over disappeared as soon as he walked through the door. He winked at a group of girls hovering nearby, and they responded with giggles and blushes. _This _was more the Nick she remembered, carefree, flirtatious and vibrantly alive. Dalila tugged on his arm and jerked her head towards the bar on the far side of the club. He nodded and followed her and Lyyli. Jenny watched them go with narrowed eyes.

"Come on," Brenna said, grabbing her arm. She pulled her to a miraculously empty table and they sat down along with Alyson and Kelly. A waitress with a pumpkin mask walked hopefully up to their table, but Brenna impatiently waved her away. Jenny looked at her expectantly, but she only reclined gracefully in her chair and twirled a lock of her red hair absently with her fingers.

"What do we do now?" Jenny asked seriously, and was slightly affronted when Brenna and Alyson looked at each other and rolled their eyes.

"We wait," Brenna said with an air of saintly patience. And indeed, barely a minute passed before their table was approached. A couple of boys, nice-looking, although a little hesitant. The first had high cheekbones and gorgeous eyes. He was dressed like a knight. His plastic sword swung on his belt as he leaned in to say something to them. Jenny couldn't hear his words over the pounding music, but Brenna giggled and responded enthusiastically. His friend, a slightly awkward-looking boy who had a painted face to look like a zombie stared at them with his mouth slightly parted, his eyes darting between Alyson and Jenny. Kelly gave them both scornful looks.

"Come on," Brenna said standing up. She grabbed Jenny's wrist and tried to pull her to her feet, but Jenny resisted. This was the moment she had been dreading.

"Oh no. I don't dance. Really, I…" She broke off with a little gasp of pain. Alyson had kicked her under the table, and the violet eyes behind the mask were glowering at her, furiously communicating disapproval.

"I mean, I'd love to," Jenny finished weakly. She cast a worried look at Kelly but the other girl shrugged, her full lips pursed together. Options run out, Jenny stood and allowed Brenna to pull her onto the dance floor, following the two boys.

It was a lot less awkward than she had thought it would be. Jenny had always avoided going to school dances, so her experience was limited to watching (but not joining) Melissa dance in her bedroom along to music videos. Fortunately, skill didn't seem to be necessary to the kind of dancing the crowd around her was doing. As long as she raised her arms and swayed her hips she seemed to blend in. She stepped on toes in the beginning, and once she tripped and fell straight into the arms of the zombie. But unexpectedly, she began to enjoy herself. The music surrounded her, like a living heartbeat of the club itself. People smiled at her whenever she happened to meet their eyes. Bubbles of laughter began to escape her throat as she and Brenna swung each other around.

After twenty minutes of solid dancing, Jenny pushed a clump of hair off her forehead. Beads of sweat dotted her hairline. The heat from the bodies packed in the club and the flashing lights were making her feel faint. She could feel her halo laying crooked on her head. It was time for a break. She needed some water.

"Water," Jenny mouthed to Brenna, and her friend nodded. Her eyes sparkled with laughter as she turned back to the two boys.

Jenny pushed through the crowd with frequent "sumimasen"s. She knocked a pirate straight into the arms of a dominatrix, but neither seemed to mind. A hand closed over her wrist but she shook it off without looking back to find the culprit. The rotating colored lights briefly lit a crown of twisted blonde hair with a rosy glow twenty feet ahead of her. Alyson had made it onto the floor. She was dancing with an abandon her usually poised persona rarely allowed.

Jenny extricated herself from the mass of dancing bodies. She breathed in the fresh air and began making her way towards the raised bar along the far wall. She felt buzzed with endorphins. She climbed the few steps, parched, and then froze at the top of the stairs. Nick was sitting at the bar on one of the silver stools between Lyyli and Dalila. His left hand toyed with a nearly empty cocktail glass with an orange drink in it. The flush on his cheeks and the animated way he waved his arms as he spoke to Dalila made Jenny think it wasn't his first. Dalila smiled at him and tossed back her curls, while Lyyli leaned in and flirted with the bartender.

Abruptly, Nick leaned forward to kiss Dalila on the neck. She tilted her head back indulgently. He pulled back and laughed; his next kiss found her mouth.

Jenny swung around and hurried down the steps. Her face felt hot. The music seemed almost muted against the ringing in her ears. The dancers were swaying in slow motion, arms raised over their heads. Her muscles felt weary after the adrenaline rush. She pushed her way back into the crowd, trying to get to the center, trying to get away.

_What do I care? He can kiss whoever he wants_.

The music started back up, a techno beat. Jenny tossed her hair out of her face, and started dancing. She exchanged a grin with a girl dancing beside her who also had wings, dressed as a fairy. They bumped their wings together and laughed. An arm encircled her waist and swung her around. It was a guy in a toga with a wreath of leaves in his hair, beckoning to her. Jenny looked up at him coyly. He danced closer. She found herself looking at his mouth, wondering if she dared.

A hand pressed down on her shoulder. Jenny turned to see Kelly. Her lips were moving, "Jenny, come on," but Jenny couldn't hear her over the powerful throb of music. She shook her head and pointed to her ear. Kelly pulled gently on her shoulder, but Jenny shrugged her off. She gave her a grimace before turning back to her new friend in the toga. When Jenny glanced over her shoulder again, Kelly had gone.

A moment later, she wished she hadn't. The guy wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him, her back against his front. She tried to pull away, but he clung to her more tightly, moving, trying to get her to grind with him. His hand slid down the front of her body, grazing her thigh. Startled, Jenny gave a violent jerk and pried herself loose. That was it, she thought angrily as she moved away. She felt dizzy as she made her way through the bodies caught in the heat of movement. The atmosphere, which had only a while ago felt full of life now seemed oppressive. She was going to find Brenna and make up an excuse about why she had to leave. Food poisoning, she decided. That always worked.

Jenny glanced up at the bar as she passed. Nick and Dalila still sat there, facing each other as they laughed and talked. Dalila's hand was on his thigh. Jenny abruptly changed direction, moving away from them. She scanned the room for one of her friends, but they had disappeared somewhere into the colored darkness. She pushed blindly through the crowd in her search. Part of her wanted to cry, but she bit her lip and doggedly moved onwards.

She bumped into someone. Jenny lifted her head and automatically opened her mouth, but the apology died in her throat. Standing before her was a tall figure, still as stone. A long black cloak covered the person from head to foot. The face was concealed, but Jenny could feel the eyes fixed on her, drinking her in. She paused as she gazed up at the figure, some instinct telling her to pay attention. As she stared, it seemed as if the dancers around her slowed and the haunting melody of the song became muted. The longer she looked, the more her heartbeat quickened. She felt a sense of menace from the figure. All of her senses were screaming at her to get away. Despite the heat, chills spread along her skin. She backed up slowly, not caring who she bumped into, before turning abruptly and running in the other direction.

She had only gone a few paces before she was brought up short with a gasp. The black figure rose up out of the crowd, looming in front of her again. Wildly, she looked over her shoulder to where she had been. She saw only a group of girls wearing black dresses and blue lipstick, dancing together. In the few seconds that it took her to look, the black figure closed the gap between them and clasped a hand over her shoulder. He was wearing black gloves, but she could feel the imprint of his fingers against her skin, cold as ice.

Jenny tried to jerk away as she had from the toga boy, but her efforts were unsuccessful. His fingers gripped her shoulder like a vise. He pulled her towards him, and with his other arm gathered her in to his chest, enfolding her in the cloak. She could feel him laughing as his head bent down and his lips brushed against the top of her head. His breath warmed her hair. He was whispering to her. Her chest heaved as her breathing came quickly, but she was unable to move. She recognized the voice and those whispers. She had heard the same low tones and the strange fragmented language at the airport before she had been attacked. But this was no shadow – he was a solid being, holding her so lightly but firmly. The music was cut off to a dim in her mind. She could hear nothing but the whispers filling her head, making her so sick with fear that she felt like throwing up. The crowd pushed in on them, jumping up and down with raised hands.

This whispers gained intensity and Jenny began to make out the words: _I said I'd come for you_.

Reanimated by fresh terror, Jenny again tried to break away from him, but the man's hands tightened on her upper arms. _Don't_, he said, his voice uncomfortably loud and commanding in her mind. _Look around you. It would be a shame if something were to happen to them_.

Jenny looked around frantically. The dancers were smiling and laughing, poking each other. Almost fifteen feet away, she saw Brenna talking to a very handsome Japanese boy whose arm was around her shoulders. Her mind flashed back to Nick and Dalila, lounging against the bar, drunk on each other's company. She remembered Snake-Eye and the orange demon who had come after her. The damage they could do if let loose in this crowd…

_Come with me. Nobody needs to get hurt_. Dizzily, Jenny realized that he was slowly walking with her, skillfully winding through the dancing crowd. She followed the cloaked man numbly, her legs moving mechanically. Around her, the dancers seemed to move in slow motion, taking ages to make simple movements, their mouths open as they laughed eternally. She was drifting along with him as if in a dream – a nightmare. She wondered how it was possible a single person didn't notice the terror on her face and try to stop them.

He was leading her towards the back of the club where a black light shone out from a deserted hallway. The purple glow opened up before them as they walked into it, swallowing them whole. The music was only a distant rumble back there, pulsing along the walls like a heartbeat. Jenny started to wake up as cool air brushed her skin. Her muscles were trembling violently. The cloaked figure had been pulling her along, half guiding her, half carrying her. Now, Jenny gave a sudden lurch to the right, throwing all her weight to the side. She may as well have tried leaping through the bars of a jail cell. Not a soul was in the hallway to help her. He pulled her towards a glowing sign indicating a back exit, and before she was able to make another movement or scream, he pushed open the door and they stepped out into the night.

The door shut behind them with a clang. He had brought her out into an alley between the club and a dark shop. The moon shone overhead, a giant pearl casting light onto the blackness of his cloak. Immediately, Jenny was released. She brought her hands to her upper arms and rubbed her skin – it was stinging unpleasantly where he'd touched her. Jenny swung around on the figure and backed up a few paces. He stood silent and unmoving in the center of the alley. Ahead in the distance, Jenny could see streetlights and the road. A car zoomed by. She would never get past him.

Jenny turned the other way and ran. Not far ahead of her was a padlocked metal fence between the two buildings. She reached it and shook it desperately, hoping for a way through. She tried to climb, but the holes between the metal links were not large enough for the toes of her shoes to slip through. She swore in frustration.

_There's no need for that_, said the voice in her mind. _I have no intention of harming you_.

Heart pounding, Jenny turned back to the cloaked man. Man? Spirit, demon, shadow and mist – any of those were better descriptors for what he probably was. She had yet to see his face.

"Lord Ahriman," she said, remembering the name his servants had called him. Her voice shook. The man bowed his head in acknowledgement.

_You know who I am. Good. That makes it so much easier_.

"I don't know anything!" Jenny burst out. "What do you want from me?"

_Nothing but to see you. You look lovely tonight, you know._

Jenny glanced at the metal door that led back into the club. She could hear the music softly pounding into the night. Maybe if she kept him busy talking long enough, someone would come out and help her.

"Who are you?" she said weakly. "Not… I know your name. But I still don't know _who _you are."

_Hasn't she told you yet? I'm surprised at her._

"Who?"

_Sailormoon_.

Jenny felt even dizzier. If he thought she had close personal contact with Japan's champion of justice, he was crazy. But his obsessive interest in her alone proved that.

_Come here_, he said. One arm extended, one gloved hand beckoning.

"Why?" Jenny's fingers tightened around the metal links of the fence, willing it to wrap around her and protect her. Her heart was beating so quickly that she felt she would faint. "Why are you doing this?"

_Don't you know_? The voice sounded regretful. _You called me to you. Your hair, the way you're dressed… how could I stay away? You look so very much like the way you used to. All you need are firestones draped across your arms and throat. Do you remember firestones? They were colored like rubies but sparkled like diamonds. It was a stone that in the beginning of creation must have been made for you alone. They were your favorite; you used to wear them often. But I always thought that the girl outshined the stone._

Jenny didn't know what the hell he was talking about. She didn't like the tone of his voice. It had become very gentle, like a caress that brushed the inside of her mind, willing her to be calm when she needed to keep her fear.

_I'm drowning in thoughts of you_, he continued softly. _And you ask me why I'm here? I couldn't be anywhere else._

Jenny pushed her hair off of her forehead with shaky fingers. She felt her halo dangling against the side of her head and tried to tug it off, but it had become tangled in her hair. She gave up and looked back at the man. His arm was still outstretched towards her in invitation. She couldn't get past the unreality of the situation. She had heard his words, but still couldn't believe that they were meant for her.

"I think you're making a mistake," she told him. "I'm not who you think I am. I don't even know what a firestone is."

_That's only because your memories have been blocked. I understand why. It would have been too painful for you to understand parts of it without being able to have what you lost. But I can show you. The power. Your identity. Your destiny. If you'll trust me, I can open up your forgotten world so that you can understand who you are – and what we were to each other_…

Jenny hesitated. She was starting to shiver as the coolness of night absorbed into her skin. Although her fear of him didn't lesson, curiosity started to rise within her, mingling with her other feelings. What if it was true? What if she had been another person who wore ruby-diamonds, and made men in dark cloaks fall passionately in love with her? He wanted to show her… but how could she believe him, the same person who commanded Snake-Eye and countless other demons?

_I would never hurt you_, he said, as if in answer to her thoughts. _Come to me. Just a few steps, and I can show you our destiny._

Startled, Jenny found that she was already halfway down the alley to him. She took the last few steps cautiously, peering up into his face. She wished a beam of moonlight would light his features beneath his cloak, but his face stayed lost in inky blackness. His hand remained in the air reaching for her, but he stayed still, waiting for her, wanting the final steps to be her own. Jenny looked one more time at the door that led back into the club. She knew that even if she got away now and rushed back to the safety of other human beings, he would come again. Maybe not that night, but some other time, when she was feeling alone and vulnerable. He would never stop until she gave in. She could feel it.

Jenny shut her eyes and breathed in deeply. She took his hand. His fingers closed around hers tightly for an instant, as if he was startled by her willingness.

_I love you_, he said, and Jenny felt the wonder and truth of it.

For an instant, they simply stood together in the night, unspeaking. And then a rush of memories flooded into her head, and Jenny, as she knew herself, was lost.


	10. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine**

Love ceases to be a pleasure, when it ceases to be a secret.

-Mrs. Aphra Behn

Kelly heard her fear as if she had screamed aloud.

It wasn't an actual sound. Kelly couldn't have heard Jenny even if she had screamed. The music was raging against her eardrums, adding another layer of confusion to her senses. Normally her third eye was sharp and focused, able to lock in on Jenny's presence from across any distance. That night, hundreds of people crowded together, each with different emotions that pushed the glimmer of Jenny's thoughts out of her head. Giddiness. Heartbreak. Lust. Fogginess brought on from chemical supplements. Exhilaration. Rage. Powerful emotions, none of which were Jenny's.

It was frustrating. She was used to reading Jenny's thoughts as if they were her own. She had been born blessed with the ability to peek into others' minds, to glimpse the future. With Bryn, and now Jenny, her Sight had always been clearest. Even before she had come to Japan, Kelly had dreamed Jenny's dreams. She had felt her pain from across the entire length of the United States. Her tears, her triumphs. Even when Kelly wasn't concentrating on her, Jenny was always a presence in the back of her mind, as much a part of her as her fingers or toes.

That night, Kelly felt her fear – a sharp peak of terror – and then…nothing. The part of her that was always connected to Jenny became disconnected. She was alone.

Kelly swore loudly, startling the girl beside her who was dressed like a peacock. _I shouldn't have left her_, she thought angrily, _Not even for a moment_. She stepped away from the wall where she had taken position to look and feel, and thrust herself into the crowd of dancers. She was furious with herself; it was the only way to keep the panic at bay. She needed to keep her head if what she suspected was happening. He couldn't have taken her. Not so suddenly…

A flashing blue light lit a crown of beautiful red hair. Brenna was standing on the edge of the dance floor with a muscled man who was wearing a black skeleton unitard and a mask. His arm was around Brenna's shoulders, and she grinned as he whispered in her ear. The golden beads of her costume were swinging and flashing with the many colored lights of the club. Her face was lit up, but her eyes were calculating.

She would have to wait for another night to play her games. Kelly marched up to Brenna and yanked her out of the skeleton's arms. Brenna made a noise of irritation as she turned, but her scowl died once she saw Kelly's face. "What's wrong?" she asked with concern. The skeleton was heading back towards Brenna, but one glare from Kelly was enough to send him backing away, his hands raised defensively. Without realizing it, Kelly's grip tightened on Brenna's shoulder, and the redhead let out another squeal.

Releasing her, Kelly demanded, "Have you seen Jenny?"

"Sure," Brenna said, smirking and wincing at the same time as she massaged her shoulder. "She met some guy. They just headed out back."

"_What_? You didn't _stop_ them?" Kelly felt as if someone had tied a rope around her chest. She was suffocating, suffocating, and the room was spinning. _Why_ had she let Jenny roam through the club alone?

Brenna paused in rubbing her shoulder, and raised an eyebrow at Kelly. "Should I have? She's a big girl. If Jenny wanted to leave with him, why shouldn't she?"

"Leave with who? What happened? Is she all right?" A third voice broke in on their conversation. Kelly recovered enough to turn her head. Even through her alarm, she couldn't hold back a flicker of dislike. Nicholas Kestrel was standing behind her, pale in the flashing lights. The feather in his hat was drooping. He paid no attention to the girls around them who were watching him with interest. He looked sick, exactly the way Kelly felt. The last thing she wanted was to feel connected with him on basic emotions.

Instead of answering his question, Kelly swung on him and said, "Get Dalila and Lyyli, and bring them here. It's important."

A scowl found its way onto Nick's lips. "Too late. They left with the bartender for an after party." His tone made it clear that he had not been included in the invitation.

Kelly didn't have time to soothe boy ego. She cursed again and turned to Brenna, who was watching her with an open mouth "Okay, then _you_ need to find Alyson. Meet me out back. I don't have time to explain why, just _do_ it. And get Usagi and Mamoru. It's really important that you find them."

"I'm coming with you," said Nick.

"No, you're not. You're going to help Brenna."

"She doesn't need me. You do. Two are better than one, right?"

"I don't have time for your goddamned hero games," Kelly snarled, hating him for getting in her way.

"If something's really happening to Jenny, why are we standing here arguing about it?"

Before Kelly could respond, Nick started forward, pushing his way through the crowd. Kelly stared at his back, silently fuming. How much did he know about what was going on? Contrary to Jenny, who was an open book, Nick was very hard to read. Kelly had made Usagi promise not to discuss Jenny with him, but it was clear that he knew more than she would have liked. And cared too much. She was tempted to physically incapacitate him so that he couldn't follow her, but there was no time. If the sacrifice to keep Jenny safe meant pulling Nick out of the dark, so be it.

"Fine," Kelly snapped, catching up with him as they entered the hallway to the back exit. "But if I tell you to leave, you go and take Jenny with you. No questions asked. Okay?" He didn't answer, but she knew from the way he clenched his jaw that he understood. Black light caught the lighter threads in his cape and made it glow.

They turned a corner, and Kelly stumbled. She gasped as the hallway spun. He was out there with Jenny, behind the exit. She could feel him. His dark power hit her like a shockwave.

"Are you okay?" Nick asked. Kelly realized that he had her by her shoulders, steadying her. She slapped him away.

"Fine," she said curtly. She placed both hands against the metal bar on the door and pushed it open. Kelly stepped outside, Nick following close behind her. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the moonlight. When her vision cleared, she stopped dead, and Nick bumped into her.

It was like a scene from a Gothic novel. They were standing together in the center of the alley, still as if woven into a tapestry. Jenny was illuminated in the full moonlight, but somehow the dark figure that towered over her was cast in shadows. A black cloak masked his identity. He and Jenny were regarding each other in a long, silent gaze. One of his hands held hers, and the other touched her cheek, barely brushing her skin. It was a gesture of tenderness, of longing. If Kelly hadn't known the horror of the creature behind the cloak, she might have found it moving. Instead, the silent menace of the hooded figure and the blank expression on Jenny's face terrified her in a way she had never felt.

Nick let out a gasping rush of breath. At the sound, Lord Ahriman's head turned their way with a snap. Kelly felt rather than saw his eyes burning beneath the cloak. Hate thickened the air like black smoke. His power started to swirl around him, starting at his feet. It wouldn't take long for him to work himself into a rage that was dangerous not only for them but for every occupant of the club behind them.

Kelly did the only thing she could think of. She leapt on him, her body reacting instinctively. Surprise made him falter as her body hit his, knocking him against the side of the other building. The second his touch left Jenny, she started to sway. Nick was there in an instant as she fell. He caught her just as she was about to hit the ground; she didn't stir in his arms. Kelly forced herself to concentrate on the man she was pinning against the building. Her muscles strained to hold him in place.

"Nick, what are you doing? Go!" she yelled. Sweat was rolling down her forehead as she dug her fingers into the fabric on her captive's arms. Unexpectedly, a deep rumble of laughter rose from the hooded figure and echoed throughout the alley. It sent vibrations through her body. Kelly opened her mouth to yell at Nick again, but the sound turned into a gasp when the solid being beneath her hands collapsed, leaving only the fabric of the cloak dangling in her fingers. Kelly dropped the cloak to the ground and furiously swung around.

"Where are you, you son of a bitch?" she demanded. In desperation, she glanced over at Jenny and Nick. Nick was kneeling and shaking Jenny gently, trying to rouse her. He spoke to her softly. Jenny's head rested against his chest, her hair spread untidily over her shoulders. Even unconscious, her body was angled towards him, seeking comfort. Lord Ahriman was not pleased. Kelly could feel him somewhere nearby, watching them. His anger was building like thunderclouds swirling together.

Nick started to stand, swinging Jenny into his arms. Kelly stopped him with a sharp, "Don't move. He's still here."

Nick's head lifted. His eyes widened when he saw Kelly standing alone. "Where did he–?"

"Don't. Move."

"Why? What's going on?"

"Nick_, shut up_." Kelly couldn't take the suspense. Her nerves were stretched thin as spaghetti. Where was Usagi? Why wasn't Lord Ahriman striking at them? She could feel his presence around them, like hot mist lingering in the air. He was angry. Hatred hung around the alley like a cloud. Jenny was lying there, defenseless as a bird without wings. And yet he waited.

"Okay," Kelly said, her voice deceptively calm. "Here's what we're going to do. You get Jenny, and we're going to walk. Slowly. I'll follow you."

"Where are we going?"

"Nick, for the last time, just–"

Kelly broke off as a dark mass of energy hit her in her chest and sent her flying backwards. She staggered as she hit the building, gasping in air. She tried to lift a hand to gesture for Nick to leave, but a rush of wind came at her, and she was pinned, her arms useless. Her nemesis was nothing more than swirling black mist that formed into a vague human outline as it held her. She caught flashes of red within the smoky mass. His eyes, watching her with pleasure. She jerked, trying to force him to release her, but his grip only tightened. Her head started to buzz, and she screamed in frustration.

Laughter. _I forgot how you like it rough._ Kelly felt the phantom sensation of teeth biting almost playfully down on her neck.

She struggled to breathe, getting in just enough air to speak. "Like you'd…ever…get the chance to find…out."

_Sure. Me or any other man._

Kelly's head was forced to the side as the pressure around her increased. From the corner of her eye, she could see the silver ring on her right hand with the yellow stone glinting in the moonlight. It was useless to her. She couldn't transform if she had no breath to call out the words. She could barely see Nick and Jenny through the smoke. As her vision darkened, she saw them rushing away from her, as if down a long tunnel. Her muscles weakened, and she slumped against the building.

_Don't worry about your friend. I'll always take care of her_, she heard him saying in her mind.

Something hard collided with the side of her head.

And all went black.

0 0 0

Jenny opened her eyes just in time to see Kelly fall. She felt lazy and peaceful, her mind caught in the hazy state of relaxation between waking and sleeping. She watched with abstracted indifference as Kelly collapsed against the dusty gravel and did not move, her hair covering her eyes. A dark figure made of smoke and shadows lowered to the ground beside Kelly, and leaned over her silently. Watching the shadowy figure was like trying to see through smudged glass. Jenny stared without making an attempt to understand. Arms were cradling her, and she felt fascinated and calm.

When the arms supporting her jerked suddenly, Jenny's foggy brain was thrust back into the present. She sat up with a gasp, the memory of what had happened flooding back into her. Hands gripped her shoulders firmly. Jenny didn't need to turn her head to know that it was Nick holding her. She couldn't look away from the shadow that was leaning over Kelly's motionless body with apparent pleasure.

Seeing movement or perhaps sensing that she was awake, the dark head turned her way. Jenny felt a jolt rush through her as their eyes connected. Slowly, the shadow pulled itself to its feet. Jenny struggled out of Nick's arms and also stood. Her heart was pounding so quickly and heavily it was almost painful. She firmly clamped her lips together for worry that she would start hyperventilating if she allowed herself to breathe through her mouth. The shadow was standing so still, looking at her. Energy pulsed from him, rippling the air around him.

Jenny started to shake from the cold that was taking over the alley. Nick stepped up behind her and grabbed her upper arms. His palms were comfortingly warm. He tugged, trying to get her to leave with him, but she planted her feet firmly on the ground. She was afraid to make any sudden movements. The shadow would dart at them, she knew, the instant it thought she would try to leave.

Nick's tugging became more insistent. "Jenny, come on," he pleaded, his voice wavering. A second later he gave up, and demanded, "What the hell is it?"

Wordlessly, the shadow extended an arm towards them, palm up. It was a clear gesture, meant to demand that Jenny come to him. Nick immediately wrapped his arms around her, and Jenny flipped around so that she was facing him. She was shivering violently. Shivering as if she was floating in the Arctic Ocean, clinging to an iceberg, and Nick was the sun, the only bit of warmth in the world. The panic she had been keeping at bay burst, and she clung to him, gripping fistfuls of his costume.

"Don't let him take me. Please don't let him take me."

"I won't," Nick promised, resting his cheek briefly against the top of her head. "But we have to go _now_."

_Go? I think not. _A gust of wind burst into being behind them. Jenny was momentarily blown forward against Nick, but then the wind changed direction. It became focused, wrapping itself around her legs and trying to squeeze into the gap between her body and Nick's, forcing them apart. She felt Nick's arm muscles tense as he tried to hang on to her. His feet slowly slid against the ground towards the shadow as he was caught by the gust. Horrified, Jenny gave a violent jerk, trying to force herself out of his arms. He held on, his teeth gritted in concentration.

"But he'll take you too!" she cried. Her skirt swirled around her legs in a frantic dance. She could barely see Nick as her hair slapped against her face, obscuring her vision.

"I don't care," he yelled back. "Don't you dare give in to him. Ever."

Jenny fought bitter tears that sprung up in her eyes. She hated herself. If it wasn't for her, none of it would have happened…Kelly, lying there on the ground, limp as a deflated balloon…Nick foolishly clinging to the belief that a steady resolve was enough to hold off evil. The shadow would kill them all, everyone who tried to keep her safe from it. And she didn't understand why. None of it made sense to her.

"Jenny!" A voice called her name urgently through the darkness and the howling wind. Abruptly, the shadow pulled back the gale. Shaken by the sudden lack of something to pull against, Nick fell backwards and Jenny landed on top of him. They scrambled around on the ground, disoriented and breathless for a moment, as Jenny tried to get to her feet and Nick tried to hold her back. Jenny was finally able to untangle her limbs from his and look over her shoulder to see a girl in a giant pink bunny suit standing in the doorway of the club. Fresh fear coursed through Jenny's veins.

"Usagi! Get out of here. It's not safe!"

Usagi didn't run. She turned her wide blue eyes to the black shape hovering in the alleyway. The shadowy figure was shimmering like a dark rippling reflection in water. For a moment, there was only silence as the two eyed each other, and then the creature began to laugh once more.

"Usagi!" Jenny cried again in warning. She tried to lunge towards her, but Nick grabbed her arms and forced her back down on the ground. Jenny didn't understand it. She started growling and thrashing against him. If any of them needed help, it was Usagi, who looked small and defenseless as the rabbit she was dressed as.

"Let me go," she hissed to Nick, but he only tightened his grip. He was sitting up, both arms wrapped around her to prevent her from getting up.

"No. You'll only be in the way. She can take care of herself."

"What do you know?" Jenny lashed out, angry at him for the note of confidence in his voice. "Usagi, you idiot! Get out of here!"

Usagi's eyes briefly flicked her way before turning back to the shadow. "I was hoping you would know better than to come after us again," she told it calmly. Jenny felt a gasp choke her throat. _Again_? Before she was able to ponder it, more figures appeared in the doorway behind Usagi. Alyson, who gasped and covered her mouth with her hand when she saw Kelly lying on the ground. Brenna, whose jeweled eyes frantically glanced back and forth from Jenny and Nick to the floating dark mass. Mamoru, who put a steady hand on Usagi's shoulder, registering no more surprise than his girlfriend at seeing the scene before him. Jenny's sense of unreality increased.

The creature did not respond to Usagi. Instead, the red eyes gazed past her to Jenny. For a few seconds that seemed an eternity it looked at her. She could feel its frustration and a black wave of rage rising off it like steam. Rather than lunge at her, it extended a smoky arm towards the night sky, and the sky _tore_. A large rip appeared in the air twenty feet above their heads that crackled and sparked with little bolts of green lightning. Alyson let out a few frightened whimpers and moans.

Figures were appearing around the hole in the sky, poking their heads in cautiously. All varieties of hell beasts that purred and gnashed their teeth in delight when they saw the scene below them. They started to drop down, leaping deftly from the hole to land on the ground in the empty space between the shadow and Jenny and Nick. Alyson started to shriek. Brenna grabbed her arm to prevent her from racing back into the club, her black and red nails digging into Alyson's skin.

"Mamo-chan, get them back," Usagi said firmly, her eyes fixed on the demons, which were stretching and twisting, preparing for the fight. Mamoru put his hands on Brenna and Alyson's shoulders and started to pull them back inside the club, but he was stopped by a hoarse, "No."

Kelly had sat up, and was rubbing her throat with one hand. She was paler than Jenny had ever seen her. Her voice sounded like she had swallowed a cup full of gravel, but she had a ring of authority when she said, "They stay."

The demons were rocking back and forth on their feet, licking their lips, waiting for a command from their master. The dark mass of Lord Ahriman was condensing, looking more than ever like the shape of a solid man. _Much as I would love to stay and catch up with you, princess, _it said, _I must take my leave_. The shadow inclined its head respectfully towards Usagi. She looked back at it, her lips pursed together. Her cool collectedness made Jenny's head spin. She felt even dizzier when the dark head swung around to face her.

_I will see you again_, it said, almost gently. _I'm sorry. This wasn't how I had planned tonight. _Before Jenny had a chance to do more than blink, it bent slightly and then leapt upwards into the gaping hole in the air. With a final flash of light, the rip in the sky closed and disappeared.

The demons, however, did not.

"What is this?" Brenna asked nervously, eyeing the misshapen figures that were cackling and starting to inch forward. Alyson kept up a steady chorus of, "Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God…"

"It's okay," Kelly said, getting to her feet. She was addressing Usagi. "It's time they all knew."

Usagi nodded. She cast a cautious look at the demons that were creeping towards her and Kelly, finally released by their master. With one last nervous glance at Jenny, Usagi raised her hand to the skies. Her fuzzy bunny suit was covered in moonlight as she called out, "_Moon Eternal Make-Up_!"

And then everything changed. Usagi was lifted into the air. She twisted and twirled gracefully in a bright mass of light. Wings sprouted from her back. She was changing, her features blurring into someone else, someone more powerful and confident. Jenny could do nothing but stare. On any other night she would have thought it was a joke. She couldn't have believed it was possible, except that she was watching the transformation of her roommate with her own eyes.

Usagi was Sailormoon.

Jenny gulped and air rushed back into her chest. She turned towards Nick in bewilderment, saying, "It's her. Usagi's…"

Nick looked tired. "Yeah," he said. He got to his feet, pulling Jenny with him. There wasn't a hint of surprise in his expression.

"You _knew_?" she blurted.

Nick shrugged. "Long story. But yeah, I knew."

Unsettled, Jenny turned back to an Usagi she barely knew, a girl who fearlessly stood up to an army of twelve demons without flinching. Brenna and Alyson, crouching behind Mamoru, looked equally in awe. Once her transformation was complete, Eternal Sailormoon rushed over to stand in front of Jenny and Nick, her back to them. Her wings spread around them protectively, but it wasn't enough. The demons were advancing.

"Kelly-san, Mamo-chan, help me!" Eternal Sailormoon cried out desperately.

Without delay, Kelly raised her hand into the air. "_Power of Anteros, transform me_!" she called. The silver ring with the yellow stone that she always wore flashed, and before long she had transformed into a warrior like Sailormoon with a yellow uniform and black bows. Her eyes shone brilliantly as the green streaks in her hair faded away into shimmering darkness. Jenny, who had thought nothing else that night could surprise her, dug her nails into Nick's arm. Kelly was the warrior in the yellow suit who had saved her twice before. _Kelly_!

While she had been watching Kelly, Mamoru had transformed. Jenny recognized him as the man in the cape and top hat who had been with Sailormoon the last time. With a sweep of his cape, he went to stand beside Sailormoon, a red rose poised and ready in his fingers. As if they had been waiting for that moment, the demons lunged at them. Nick pulled Jenny backwards out of the way of the fight until they hit the metal fence. She did nothing to resist. She felt numb, a spectator. In no way a part of the action.

"Oh, God!" Alyson cried out again as she tried to flatten herself against the wall.

"Don't think you're getting out of this," Kelly scolded. She ducked out of the way of an advancing demon that thrust out a long hand like a vine and attempted to seize her. She tossed a small metal object at Alyson that bounced off her forehead and clattered against the ground. "Here, Bren, catch!" she also called to the red-head and tossed another one before thrusting herself back into the fight. Alyson didn't move, but Brenna reached out and caught hers. When she opened her hand, a ring similar to Kelly's was on her palm, except that hers had an orange gem.

"Who are you?" Brenna asked. She sounded confused, but not scared.

"Sailoranteros. Put your ring on. You too, Aly. You're part of the team."

"Team? Oh, hell no," Alyson muttered. She glared down at her ring as if daring it to disappear. Brenna slipped hers on without question. After a pause and another moan, Alyson gulped and repeated the gesture.

"Now what?" Brenna asked.

"You'll know. Just hurry." Sailoranteros stretched her arms towards the demon with the vine-like hands, and blue-green electricity shot from her palms. The electricity wrapped around the demon like rope, and the demon shrieked as it tried to get away.

Brenna's eyes flashed with determined green fire. Slowly, she lifted her hand into the air. "_Power of Hestia_," she started hesitantly, but then took a deep breath and straightened, her voice coming out loud and clear. "_Transform me_!"

Ribbons of golden fire wrapped around her body. After a flash of light, Brenna disappeared and standing in her place was another warrior wearing orange with purple ribbons. Gingerly, she brought a hand to her forehead in surprise, fingering her tiara. "Wow," she breathed. "I'm…"

"Sailorhestia," Anteros supplied roughly, and then turned her attention to a demon that was trying to wrap scaly brown tentacles around her throat. "_Powerstorm Flash_!" she cried out, and the demon collapsed into dust. She looked back at Hestia with a scowl.

"Admire yourself later. Just do something. Alyson, what are you waiting for?"

Alyson was more hesitant than her Irish friend, but she finally lifted her trembling hand into the air and called out, "_Power of Pandia, transform me_!" Her transformation was more graceful than Brenna's had been. She floated around in a dreamy violet haze as her uniform appeared. With a final post, she appeared as the final warrior, clad in purple with dark blue bows.

Jenny turned to Nick. "Is there something you want to tell me?" she asked flatly.

A smile briefly lit his face. "I wish. I'm the only normal one here, kid."

"Sailorpandia!" Hestia called to her friend with a bright smile when she saw the completed transformation. Sailorpandia looked at her, not in the least pleased.

"Will someone tell me what the _hell_ is going on?"

"Questions later," Anteros snapped in a hard voice. Her tone shut Pandia up, who turned towards one of the uglier demons, grimacing all the while.

"Ew," she said, wrinkling her nose. "Is this thing real?" The demon that was limping near her was hunched over, and it's yellow-green skin was covered with what looked like yellow pus.

"Pandia, shut up!" Hestia cried in an irritated voice. She faced a green demon and yelled, "_Spark of Death_!" She flicked her wrist, sending out a golden spark that gathered into a fireball as it raced through the air towards the demon. The creature caught on fire and exploded with a scream of frustration.

"Hey, not bad," Hestia said happily. She tossed her red hair over her shoulder triumphantly as she turned to Pandia.

"Your turn, love," she said sweetly, her voice mocking.

Pandia's violet eyes flashed, taking her friend's words as a challenge. "Oh fine, I will," she said grumpily. She faced the demon with the melting yellow skin and cried, "_Night Terror Shock_!" A blast of smoke burst from her that caused the demon to spin around in a rapid circle before it exploded. Sailorpandia grimaced, leaping deftly out of the way as bits of it splattered against the building where she had been standing.

"Ew," she said again, and then looked over at Jenny. "Enjoying the show?"

"Aly, behind you!" Jenny shrieked as another demon started rushing toward her.

"Don't call me Alyson. I'm _Sailorpandia_ now," Pandia said harshly as she whirled around and took care of the unfortunate creature. When it had disappeared, she turned back and glared at Jenny. "Do you have to broadcast to the entire world who I am?"

Jenny started at her for a second, and then began to laugh. Her chest felt numb, but the laughter wouldn't stop. She felt Nick's fingers tighten around her upper arms, but she wasn't able to stop giggling as she gasped in breath. The scene was a circus, all of it. Any minute now, someone was going to start doing back flips.

Pandia stared at her with a raised eyebrow. "Watch it, or I'm coming after you next," she warned amiably, and then blasted another demon with her Night Terror Shock. Jenny leaned back against Nick, her body shaking from laughter as much as shock. Nick was supporting her weight more than her own legs. She felt weak and light as air. Nothing was real.

The battle lasted less than three minutes after that. The demons were hardly a match for the five they fought against. Even they seemed to realize it: their attempt at destruction was half-hearted at best. As the last demon was destroyed by Sailormoon, the five warriors stopped and panted for breath, looking around at one another warily while Jenny's giggles died in the background.

"I suppose we need to have a discussion," Sailoranteros finally said. She didn't sound pleased about it.

The only answer to that was a renewed bout of laughter from Jenny.

0 0 0

"No. That isn't mine," Jenny said firmly.

The ring was lying on the floor where Surya had deposited it in front of her. It was a small delicate thing, beautiful as it twinkled in the artificial light of the temple. The ring had an aura of great power; it seemed to disturb the air around it with little pulses of energy. The silver was exquisitely crafted to look like it was covered with waves of twisting fire. The gem was about the same shade of red as a ruby, but more translucent. It sparkled with hints of all the colors of the rainbow where its facets hit the light.

_Firestones_, she heard Lord Ahriman's voice in her mind again. _They were colored like rubies but sparkled like diamonds… made for you alone_…

All in all, Jenny thought that she had been a good sport about everything. She had listened quietly while Kelly, with occasional contributions from Kai and Alexei, had explained about Lord Ahriman and her past life. She hadn't flipped out when she learned that Cat was not a cat at all, but rather a cercaphor from outer space named Surya. She had calmly accepted the knowledge that she had been tailed and discussed by everyone in the room for weeks, and that they intended to keep doing so, with or without her consent. She had even taken the news that she and Usagi shared past life DNA with more composure than anyone could have expected.

But this was going too far.

"It's not mine," Jenny insisted. She didn't make a move to touch the ring, even though she knew from the looks she was getting that everyone expected her to. The senshi were gathered together in Rei's temple, lounging against the walls or kneeling around the large table in the center of the room. They were staring at her with various levels of pity or exasperation for her inability to accept what the rest of them already had. Nick sat quietly in the furthest corner of the room, looking at the ground as he listened. He hadn't moved or made a sound since they arrived. He had insisted on being present, despite Mamoru's early attempts to persuade him to wait back at their apartment. Occasionally he looked over at Jenny, but she avoided meeting his eyes.

Jenny was sitting on a mat, nestled in a blanket. Her fingers were wrapped around a cup of warm tea that Rei had thrust into her hands, but she had yet to drink any of it. Earlier, while the group had been focused on Brenna and Alyson's excited questions, Jenny had stared at her reflection in the liquid. It was her face, the same one she had known for almost seventeen years. Her eyes, the curve of her nose, her chin… all familiar. It was something inside that was different. Something dark and powerful that replayed in her mind, a movie of another time, another life. Something compelling that at once made her feel wistful and terrified.

"He's after me," she said quietly. "I get that now. I saw it tonight, and I can accept it. But I can't do what all of you do. I know I can't."

"Score one for the girl. She gets a prize," Surya agreed. He settled onto his back legs and started delicately licking his front right paw as Jenny blinked at him with surprise. When he finished licking his fur to perfection, he turned his sharp eyes on her.

"You could sit there all night and yell out the words for transformation, and it wouldn't make a difference. You have the potential. You were born with it, but you can't use it. You won't be able to use your power until your heart has decided which side you shall fight on."

Jenny winced. "This is exactly what I'm talking about. I'm not a fighter. I never have been. I tried tae kwon do once, and it was a disaster. I have no coordination at all."

"You must," Surya insisted, his eyes glowing crossly at his mistress. "It is your duty. Either you stay and fight with us, or betray your sister."

Jenny carefully avoided meeting Usagi's eyes. She had purposely made little reaction when Surya had told her that she and Usagi shared a father in their past life. Inside she was much more shaken than her outward composure let on. The word 'sister' resonated oddly within her. In a way it made sense. Usagi certainly irritated her as much as her sister Kristin did. It explained the protectiveness she knew Usagi felt for her, and the way she felt safe with Usagi, instinctively knowing that she could trust her with anything. From the moment she met her, some part of Jenny had felt the thread of fate connecting them.

Usagi smiled at her tentatively when Jenny glanced at her, but Jenny quickly looked away. She was starting to get a tension headache. "So it's going to be between family and love. Oh, fantastic. I knew when I woke up this morning that it was going to be one of those days."

"No, sweetie, nothing that dramatic. He was in love with you, but you never returned his feelings," Alexei said soothingly. Jenny opened her mouth and then shut it. She looked at Minako and Alexei's intertwined hands, and then shook her head.

"But…no, that's not right. He showed me. I felt…"

"You felt? What did he do to you?" Rei demanded.

Jenny was very confused. Her cheeks felt flushed. "He showed me…things. It's not like I really remember anything from back then. Just flashes. It was like a movie trailer of the two of us. Together." The last word seemed to hang in the air, pregnant with meaning. The heat on her face deepened. She knew Nick was watching her, but she couldn't look at him. Avoiding everyone's eyes, she stuck a finger in her tea and swirled it around. She pretended to be deeply interested in the result.

"Lies," Kelly said harshly. "Trust me on this, you never would have let him touch you. Whatever he showed you, it was a lie."

"It wasn't a lie," Jenny said quietly. She looked up and met Kelly's eyes seriously. Everything she had learned that night had flipped her world upside down. The one thing she knew for certain was that what she had seen was real. What she had felt was real. The memories were shadowy, unclear as half-remembered dreams, but still a part of her. She couldn't deny the truth of them.

"It was. I'll prove it to you," Kelly said fiercely. "Let me take a look." She crawled forward on the floor until she was next to Jenny, and grabbed her hand. The instant her skin touched Jenny's, Jenny experienced a rush of memory flashes back into her mind. There they were, sitting on a fence together, the light of the sky golden and warm above them…chasing each other through a garden with purple, red, and golden blossoms surrounding them, bigger than her head…kissing in the shadow of a marble pillar as a sea of couples twisted and twirled in a crystal ballroom…lying in each other's arms in bed, peaceful and exhausted after—

Kelly dropped Jenny's hand so abruptly that it fell and knocked against the floor with a stinging thud. She said something in Spanish that sounded extremely rude. Her face was white, and her expression was furious.

"You mean it wasn't real?" Jenny asked as she rubbed her hand. Her heart sank. She knew there was no reason to be disappointed, because 'in love with a monster' was really not something that she wanted to add to her list of faults. But she was.

"No, she saw it was true, only it wasn't Lord Ahriman you were with," Surya said shrewdly. "Tell us, when you were with him tonight, how did he make you feel?"

"I…" Jenny looked around at the captive crowd watching her, still blushing. "He…he scared me."

"But did you feel anything else? Like what you remember in your flashes?"

Jenny was silent for a long moment before she said, "No." Kelly reached out and touched her shoulder, squeezing it comfortingly.

Surya nodded. "There, like I said. I don't doubt that what you saw was real. It just wasn't him. Clever, though, trying to make you think it was. He couldn't have known we'd shoot his deception down so fast."

"Who was it then?" Jenny demanded. She felt strangely feverish. Ever since Lord Ahriman had awakened those memories, something had changed inside her. It was as if she had been two people, split down the center, but now she was sewn together whole. It consumed her, a longing so intense she was surprised she hadn't noticed it before, buried in her subconscious. If it wasn't for the feeling, she wouldn't have believed anything they told her, despite being stalked for weeks. But because she had seen what he had shown her, had felt the alien flood of emotions for something she had never experienced in her own lifetime, it was all real. Including the painful knowledge that what she had seen was lost to her forever. Something terrible had happened to end that happy time. She could feel it.

"Who was he?" she repeated. "I have to know."

"You know," Surya said, his red jewel eyes glittering at her. Kelly let out her breath in an angry huff. Her hand tightened on Jenny's shoulder. Jenny stared at Surya, her eyes questioning.

"You know him," Surya repeated. "He–"

"Honestly, is this necessary?" Kelly interjected. "Let the past die. He didn't make her happy back then. All he ever brought her was misery. Why should anything change now?"

"You knew all this, and you never told me," Jenny said, swinging on Kelly angrily. "It has to do with _me_. Shouldn't I be the one to decide what I can and can't know?" Kelly's mouth had been open, but she closed it with a snap. She looked taken aback and hurt.

"She was trying to protect you," Mamoru said reasonably. "We all were."

Jenny turned towards him and her eyes landed on Usagi. "And you–"

"I wanted to tell you, Jen-chan. Honestly, I did," Usagi said tearfully. "But we thought it would be easier if you and Nick didn't know."

"Nick?" Ice traveled through Jenny's veins, concentrating in the area of her chest. Her skin thrummed with caution as Usagi clapped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide. "What does he…?" She trailed off and glanced over to the far corner of the room, where Nick had sat unmoving since they arrived. He sat cross-legged, leaning forward so that his elbows rested on his knees. His hands were pressed together in a temple, and his chin rested lightly on his fingers. His eyes lifted at the mention of his name, curiously landing on Usagi before flicking to Jenny.

The second their eyes met, Jenny looked away. She turned back to narrow her eyes at Usagi, who was looking pleadingly at Surya. Surya, in turn, turned his solemn red eyes to Jenny. "You know," he said again, simply. "He's–"

"No," Jenny interrupted.

"Jenny…"

"Don't say it!" She found herself on her feet, trembling. She threw off Kelly's attempts to grab her arms.

"You can't ask for the truth and then decide not to hear it," Surya scolded, as if reprimanding a spoiled child.

"I don't care!" Jenny yelled. Brenna and Alyson were watching her with open mouths. She couldn't stand to see them looking at her, so she turned her back on them, nearly tripping over her cup of tea. Kelly stood up beside her and put an arm around her shoulders. Jenny was shaking too much by this time to attempt breaking away.

What was rendering Jenny incapable of speech was clearly not affecting Nick. "Wait a minute, stop. Are you saying it was _me_? I was a part of this? How long have you known? _How_ did you know?" He didn't sound angry, but wondering.

Mamoru sounded tired when he answered. "Usako and I saw the two of you together last summer, in the series of ancient paintings in the new exhibit in the art museum. Only we didn't know it was Jenny-san at the time. We hadn't met her yet."

"Even after we did, we didn't know. We didn't know until tonight, when we saw her hair," Usagi added. Her voice sounded watery and scratchy; she was crying.

"Jenny…" Nick said. She heard a light scraping as he got to his feet. She immediately tensed, drawing her shoulders together.

"One move, boy, and you'll no longer have a pair," Kelly said shortly, glaring over her shoulder.

"Let's all be rational. We don't need to antagonize anyone," Ami said nervously.

"Maybe we should let them be alone. You know, to talk things over," Makoto suggested.

"Yeah, I totally wouldn't be dealing right now if it was me," Rei added.

"But shouldn't we get back to talking about the war? I don't think she really understands the decision she's going to have to make," Ami said.

"Stop it," Jenny said.

"You might want to also fill in loverboy over there about his past. Is there something special about him? Should we be protecting him too?"

"Why don't we try to get Jenny to transform? I know Surya said it wouldn't work, but maybe he's wrong. She could at least try. Now that she knows everything, she's got to fight for us."

"Now that she's got her boyfriend back, sure."

"Please, stop," Jenny said.

"At least she doesn't have to go around pining for Lord A now. Yuck."

"Ooh, Nick's blushing. Look!"

"I think we should leave them alone."

"Yeah, you can't fight this kind of thing. We should know."

"Enough! Stop it. Just shut up!" Jenny cried unhappily, spinning around. Her cheeks were like red fire as she glared at them all. "I'm tired of people telling me what I should do. You don't know me. You can't assume to know what I feel. Like how you think you can tell me I have a destiny to save or destroy the universe, and I'll just cheerfully go along with whatever you say, because hey, it's meant to be. Or how you think you can stick me in a room with Nick, and we'll start planning a wedding together. Do you even know? I've hated him for most of my life. If we're meant to be together, why do I feel like killing him seventy percent of the time?"

There was a decisive flame in her eyes that no one was used to seeing, and it shocked the group into silence. Encouraged by their stunned expressions, Jenny continued. "I'm not you little princess of Athena anymore, or whoever you think I am. I want no part of it. Tell the cosmos 'no' for me, because I quit!"

"Listen, Jenny, no one is saying you have to decide right away," Artemis said anxiously.

"We just want you to understand your options," Luna added. "Whatever you decide, we'll be here to protect you."

"I don't need your protection. Get off me," Jenny snapped. She shook Kelly's hands off her shoulders for the final time, and knelt to pick up her bent halo that was lying on the ground beside her teacup. She slammed it unceremoniously back onto her head.

"You have it anyway," Usagi said. Jenny paused in the act of rising and looked at her. She was caught by the fierce expression in Usagi's eyes. For a moment they looked at each other, and Jenny was overcome with a desire to run to her. She wanted nothing more than to go home with Usagi, sit together in their room, and talk. So much was racing through her head, about Lord Ahriman, about her supposed destiny, about Nick… She didn't need a room full of half-strangers telling her what to do. She needed a sister's advice.

Jenny turned her head and got to her feet. When she spun around, she addressed everyone in the room. "It's been fun. It really has, this whole evening. But I'm done." She hurried outside the room before anyone had a chance to speak.

While she was kneeling outside the door trying to fasten her white sandaled high heels with trembling hands, she heard Alyson say, "Um, shouldn't someone stop her?"

"Let her go," Surya said calmly. "She'll be safe tonight. If he really wanted to take her today, he would have. That's not what he was after."

They continued speaking, murmured conversation. Jenny rose to her feet and hurried outside down the front steps of the temple. She didn't want to hear anymore. She shivered as she stepped out into the night. The warm, humid evening had broken into a cool shower, with rain more like mist than droplets of water. She wrapped her arms around herself and kept her head down as she walked, stepping around pools of water that had formed.

"Jenny. Hey, Jen. Wait!"

Jenny stopped walking and shut her eyes briefly before turning around. Nick was running towards her, splashing through puddles. She stared at him as he slid to a stop before her. He looked her over, his eyes taking in her hair, damp against her shoulders, and her shivering. His eyes were concerned. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Oh, you know. Moonlit stroll, always cheers a girl up," she said, her tone acerbic. Droplets from her water-soaked hair were dripping down her face like tears.

Nick wasn't remotely amused. "Where are you going?"

"I don't know. Away from here. Away from you. I was kind of planning on being nowhere near you tonight. It doesn't work if you follow me."

"I just want to make sure you get home safely. Come back into the temple with me. We'll borrow an umbrella from Rei, and I'll walk with you."

Jenny jerked away from him when he reached out a hand. "God, what is it with you?" she demanded, laughing dryly as her teeth chattered. "Someone throws the past life card at you, and suddenly you want to be my knight in shining armor?"

"You think this is sudden?" Nick said disbelievingly. "This has nothing to do with what they said."

"It's because we're such great friends, right?"

Nick looked pained. "Okay, I deserved that. But I do need to talk to you. About what they said. About you and me."

"There is no 'you and me,' Nick."

"You may not want to admit it, but I know there is something between us."

"Yes, there is. Loathing. Disgust. Hatred."

"Maybe for you. Not me. I care about you."

"Oh, please. What is this, a Hallmark movie?" she asked harshly, trying her best to sound cynical and callous.

"I do care about you. I always have. Come on, Jen. Please. Just talk to me."

They were wandering onto dangerous territory. Jenny's shaking had little to do with the cold anymore. Nick reached out and placed a gentle hand on her arm, providing light pressure without pulling. His palm was warm. Everything in Jenny's body was telling her to lean in to him, and it terrified her. She took a hasty step away from him.

"You care about me? Right. Did you figure this out before or after you were making out with Dalila tonight?" Nick had been reaching for her again, but at that, his hand dropped back to his side. His expression was frozen. Jenny laughed harshly, though she felt no pleasure from it. She took another step backwards.

"You know, Nick, you can save your rationalizations and your hero complex for someone else. I'm really not interested."

Fearing the opportunity of letting him speak again, she ran.

0 0 0

The gate swung open with a loud creak that echoed against the stone walls surrounding the property. Jenny lifted a trembling hand in thanks to the night guard who had let her in. She was shaking so much from the cold and the weight of her thoughts that her shoulders moved uncontrollably in little jerks. Her hands gripping her arms and hugging them against her chest did little to warm her. Her feet moved mechanically down the path. The rain had soaked her dress so thoroughly that it was as if she had just risen from a river. At first light and cooling, the rain had steadily worsened into a full downpour as she wandered the streets.

She had no idea how much time had passed since she had left the temple, but it had to be well past midnight. It could have been minutes or hours that she walked the streets in a partial dream state. She hadn't known where she was going until she saw the iron gates of Max's mansion, and his concerned night watchman came out of his booth to ask her if she needed help. He had phoned Max from his booth, and then opened the gates for her. Jenny walked down the path to the front door numbly, hardly aware of what she was doing, or why.

The door was flung open just before she reached it. Max stood in the doorway, a black velvet bathrobe covering his red silk pajamas. "Jenny," he said, sounding surprised. He stepped aside, ushering her in. His eyes were wide as he looked her over, confused and anxious.

"What's wrong? What happened to you?" he demanded. Jenny started to feel self-conscious as he shut the door behind her. She was very aware of the fact that she was dripping water onto his marble floor, and that her waterlogged white dress was plastered to her skin, more translucent than she would have liked. Max's expression was concerned but also somewhat guarded. And why not? Surely he thought she was a freak, a wet water rat, showing up unannounced in the middle of the night in such disarray.

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. I shouldn't be here," she said in a rush, looking at the floor. She couldn't meet his eyes.

"Nonsense, you're always welcome."

"It's just been such a weird night, you know? And I couldn't go home. I have nowhere else to go."

Jenny saw movement out of the corner of her eye as Sera entered the front hall. She was wearing a slinky blue nightgown, and she stopped dead when she saw Jenny. Her mouth fell open as she glanced between the soaked and shivering Jenny and her employer. Without turning his head, Max said, "Sera, please get a towel and a change of clothes for our guest."

When Sera stared at Jenny and didn't move, Max said in a harsher tone, "Sera, a towel. Now." Sera shut her mouth with a snap. Her expression was thoughtful as she looked at her boss. Without a word to either of them, she turned and swept out of the room. Jenny felt the heavy silence when Sera had gone, broken only by the mechanical ticking of an antique grandfather clock in a parlor directly off the front hall. Max was looking at her as if he did not know what to make of her sudden appearance. Jenny gave him a wince and a brief shrug that prompted another bout of shaking.

"I don't know why I'm here. I just needed something normal, you know? Somebody to be nice to me for five minutes. You make me feel normal. Like when I'm drawing you. It makes me feel safe…I'm so sorry. You probably think I'm this insane girl on your doorstep. I'll go if you want me to. You don't need to feel obligated or anything," Jenny babbled. Her teeth chattered as she spoke. With an anguished look, Max shrugged out of his bathrobe and wrapped it around her shoulders. Jenny ducked her head as she hugged it around herself. His body heat still lingered in the fabric. It smelled like him, a mixture of expensive cologne and soaps, whiskey, burning wood, and the cracking sky after an electric storm.

"I would never turn you away," Max said heartily. He bent and kissed the top of her head, before putting his arms around her and pulling her gently against his chest. The last thin bands that were keeping Jenny in control broke. She collapsed against him, sobbing. She cried for the loss of innocence, the loss of a mediocre life, the loss of her freedom. She cried for the girl she had always been who was now gone, and for the things she wanted but could never allow herself to have. She cried simply to rid herself of all emotion in one torrent, so that she could be left empty and unfeeling, a shell.

Max held her silently through all of it, gently rubbing her back and shoulders. He held her until her tears dried up, and after. "I will always be here for you," he said as she leaned against him, her eyes wet and staring. "Anything you need, you have but to ask. I want to help you. You can trust me."

Jenny did trust him, with her life. At that moment, she would have done anything for him. If assassins burst through the door, she would have flung herself in front of the bullets to save him. He was her hero.

"Now, let's see," he said thoughtfully as she lifted her head to look up at him gratefully. "I think a couple cups of hot cocoa are in order. If I'm not mistaken, you left a few sticks of graphite upstairs. I think we can rustle up some paper for you after Sera gets you into some dry clothes. Care to take on an old man's puffy eyes tonight?"

Smiling and holding hands, they ascended the stairs together.


	11. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

Thar ain't no sense in gettin' riled!  
-Bret Harte

_"I do care about you. I always have. Come on, Jen. Please. Just talk to me."_

_They were wandering onto dangerous territory. Jenny's shaking had little to do with the cold anymore. Nick reached out and placed a gentle hand on her arm, providing light pressure without pulling. His palm was warm. Everything in Jenny's body was telling her to lean in to him, and it terrified her. Every instinct she had, every coherent thought, was telling her to run. But she couldn't move; some inexplicable force was binding her to him. Even if she ran, it would follow her. He would follow her. She could never escape that which had always entangled them._

_"I have something to tell you," he said._

_Rain was falling down around them, splashing in little puddles in a silent but beautiful dance. It didn't touch him. He was looking at her with a light behind his eyes, clear and brown and honest. He didn't look like a medieval thief in his costume, but a prince._

_"I have something to tell you," he repeated._

_Jenny shook her head. She felt light, as if she was floating inches above the ground. "I can't trust you. You'll hurt me again."_

_"Only one way to find out," he said._

_Somehow she was in his arms, and he was kissing her. Joy. Ebullience. That was what Jenny felt. The feeling she had gotten as a child after stumbling down the stairs on Christmas morning to be confronted with mountains of gifts, reflecting the twinkling red, blue, and green lights of the Christmas tree. The surge of euphoria she experienced every time she finished a painting, viewing her accomplishment for the first time in its completion. Or the way she had felt every time she opened the door as a child to see Nick standing on her porch, his little face flushed with the excitement of some new game he had devised for them._

_She was ecstatic, she was peaceful, she was complete…best of all, she wasn't thinking. Passion washed away the protests her brain would have made in any other state._

_The scene changed, but not the company. Her back was pressed against cold stone. His arms were still around her. Surrounding them were the sounds of conversation and laughter, as well as music lingering in the air, sweeter and stranger than she had ever heard it before. Other couples were present and close by, but they paid no attention to them as they stood in the shadows. His lips were on her throat._

_"You came back to me," she said. She was trembling, clinging to the front of his shirt, as if to convince herself that he was real, that he was there. _

_"I will never leave you again," he said. His lips moved from the underside of her chin to her cheek; his breath warmed her skin. His hand on her arm, by contrast, was cold – cold as if it had just been pulled from a freezing lake. She wanted to concentrate on his mouth and the movement of his chest against hers as they breathed in unison, but the cold was overpowering all her other senses. It seeped into her skin, within it and beneath it, a devouring infection…_

Jenny woke suddenly from the dream. Her heart was running a mad and solitary race. The darkness in the room was an inky cloud. Not a hint of light from the outside world was leaking in through the window. The dream, a ghost of a memory from times past, had faded, but not the touch. She could still feel it, icy cold and traveling down her arm. Fingers were lightly brushing her skin, making goosebumps pop up on her flesh. Jenny lay very still. A paralyzing wave of terror rushed over her as the touch shivered through her body. It moved to her cheek, light and circling. Her hair was pushed off her forehead in damp locks, and icy lips pressed down on her skin. She felt the soft beat of a whisper against her ear. The words were indiscernible…but she recognized the voice.

Jenny screamed. The sound released her, and she lifted her arms to beat off the thing that was leaning over her. As her arms flailed wildly through the air, new horror crashed into her. _There was nothing there_. The icy kiss still lingered on her forehead, but she felt only open air. The thought of the invisible being touching her was making her nauseous. Jenny rolled herself into a sitting position and yelled, "Get out!" Abruptly, the touch left her, and a shadow rushed away from her towards the window. The feathery curtains fluttered once and were still.

"Jenny?" Light burst into the room. Usagi was sitting up in bed, her fingers resting on the cord of a rabbit lamp on her bedside table. Her eyes were puffy, and her skin was flushed pink. Jenny looked over at her, breathing heavily. The thin layer of sweat covering her skin was starting to cool. She shivered.

"What's wrong?" Usagi insisted, looking worried. Jenny just looked at her, unable to speak. What a loaded question. She didn't know where to start. Absurdly, a bubble of laughter rose in her throat. Usagi was staring at her wide-eyed, as if unsure whether to rush over and comfort her or get Surya from Shingo's room to deal with it. Jenny took a deep breath to calm herself, and tried to smile nonchalantly. Her muscles worked, but the expression felt false.

"Nothing," she said heavily. "It was just a dream."

0 0 0

"It was in my room. It was in my bloody _room_."

Kelly had been carving the peel off an orange with a pocketknife, but at that she froze. She was sitting on the back of a bench, her sneakers resting on the seat next to Jenny. She hesitated, tapping the side of the knife against the orange rind as she looked at Jenny's bowed blonde head. Jenny didn't return the look. Her hands were clasped tightly in her lap. Her lunchbox rested beside her untouched.

"You've been hanging around Alyson too much" was all Kelly said.

Jenny glanced up at her, astonished. "Didn't you hear me? That _thing_ was in my room. It just – I don't know – floated in when I was sleeping. When Usagi was sleeping. What am I supposed to do when _Sailormoon_ can't even protect me?"

Kelly sighed and tossed her orange aside. She closed the knife and slipped it back into her pocket before gracefully sliding down the back of the bench to land beside Jenny. She frowned and drummed her fingers against her thigh before blurting, "How can you be sure?"

"How can I be sure that thing came into my bedroom like an incubus? You're kidding, right?"

Kelly's eyes were slit as she watched the soccer team across the field kick the ball around during their lunchtime practice. One of the most popular and handsome boys made a goal, and the legions of watching fangirls cheered. Slowly, she said, "Maybe you were dreaming. Wait, don't look at me like that. Just listen. It's been a stressful couple weeks for all of us. You've had a lot on your mind, and maybe it just felt real. You said Usagi didn't see or feel anything. I know how real it felt to you, but it could have been a dream."

"It _wasn't_," Jenny insisted, annoyed. She had held off on telling Usagi what had happened that night and chose to wait for Kelly, sure that she if anyone would understand. She felt a little betrayed at Kelly's lack of faith. "I told you. At first I thought the touch was a part of my dream, but then it was so horrible that it woke me up. I was awake. I didn't imagine it."

"What were you dreaming about?"

Jenny opened her mouth and then shut it. Kelly looked at her quickly sideways and then added, "As if I even need to ask."

"It's not like that," Jenny said quickly, distracted. "I can't control when the memories come back. I hate when it happens. It's like having someone else take over my body." She didn't mention that the first part of her dream had been decidedly fantasy, not reality.

"I'm glad to hear it. I thought he was scum then, and in my opinion ten thousand years have done little to improve him." Kelly's voice was animated for the first time during their conversation, and her green eyes were hard when she looked at Jenny.

Jenny shrugged. "Yeah, well, in a way I'm relieved to know. It explains a lot. Like why I could never truly hate him even after everything he did to me or made his friends do. God, I used to think about him constantly, so much that I was making myself crazy. I put so much energy into him, thinking about him, plotting against him. I never got why I couldn't let it go. Or how even though I thought I hated him, every time he was around, some part of me just wanted to touch him…" Jenny trailed off at the look on Kelly's face and grinned.

"But it wasn't me, not really," she amended. "It was Bryn. And now that I understand where it's coming from, I think I can let it go and go back to being me. But we're getting completely off the point. Shadow demon in my bedroom. Inappropriate touching at night. Cast a spell or something to keep it away from me. That's your job, right?"

Kelly smiled. "I'll look into it. But I really don't think you need to worry. He wouldn't have risked coming into your room with Usagi so close. It was probably a dream."

0 0 0

"He was in your room. He was in your f--king room."

Usagi's mouth had been gleefully open to receive a load of udon that she had ready on her chopsticks, but at the blazing fury in Kelly's eyes, she hunched her shoulders and lowered the noodles back into the soup. From the look on Kelly's face, she felt she had done something wrong, but she had no idea what.

"Who?" she asked meekly.

"Who do you _think_? Who else would sneak around at night and climb into Jenny's bed?"

"Oh. That's why she screamed." Suddenly it all made sense. Usagi took a sip of her tea, eyes guiltily scanning the room. She had wanted to think when Kelly asked her out to an udon shop after school that it had been for another reason, but it was just business as usual.

"_Yes_, that's why she screamed. And where were you?"

Usagi didn't think that was meant to be a question, so she simply ducked her head and took the moment to have some more noodles. When she lifted her head, Kelly was staring out the window onto the busy Tokyo street. A group of colorful punk rock college students were passing by, but her eyes were unseeing.

"I promised her," Kelly said desperately. "I promised her nothing would happen to her, that we were protecting her, and then _this_?"

"It's not your fault…" Usagi started and then broke off, realizing her words might incriminate herself, but Kelly was clearly not listening.

"I don't like it. What is he waiting for? I don't understand why he doesn't just take her if he has the ability to get into your room at night."

The words had a chilling effect on Usagi. She put down her chopsticks sadly. It was one thing to always make sure Jenny had protection when they were out during the daytime, but to think that she could wake up some morning, and her sister would simply not be there…

"We need to wake the others," Kelly was saying. Her fists were clenched in front of her on the table. "I've thought about it, and it's the only way. Clearly we need someone to always be watching the house at night. The more people the better."

"You know we'll help you however we can."

"We've relied on your people too much already. Anyway, it's time. I've put it off long enough. They have a right to know."

Usagi blinked at her. "They who?"

0 0 0

Jenny had participated in many awkward silences over the years, but this one was the most cringe-worthy. Eyes were fixed on her, staring unabashedly. Some were incredulous, some pitying, some bored. Mostly the newcomers were disbelieving. Kelly had just finished speaking, her cool voice crisp and authoritative as she briefly recounted the story that had already been told so many times among the senshi. When she finished, she looked at her audience expectantly, but they were starting at Jenny as if they had never seen anything like her before. Adiel Austin, shaking slightly as she sat with knees drawn up to her chest, looking every bit like a trapped doe cornered by hunters. Naru's cousin Christine, her grey eyes peaceful and a little sad as she looked around the room at the senshi and the various others gathered there. Dalila and Lyyli, sitting still, their faces equally blank as they looked at Jenny. The silence was almost a tangible pressure on Jenny's nerves.

It didn't help that one of the pairs of eyes belonged to Nick. He had scarcely taken his eyes off her since she had stepped into the temple. Upon seeing him, an unsettled Jenny had pulled Usagi aside and whispered fiercely, "What's he doing here?" But Usagi had merely shrugged. Nick had as much a right as she to be there. It was his story too, much as Jenny hated to be reminded of it.

The silence was suddenly broken by a loud snort of Lyyli's. Jenny looked over at her quickly. "You're joking, right? Tell me you're joking," Lyyli said giggling.

"I thought we were here to get our fortunes read," Dalila added accusingly, but she was smiling, as if the game they were playing made a much better afternoon than she had planned for.

Kelly's eyes were narrow slits. "It's not a joke. You shouldn't be laughing." But it was useless. Both Lyyli and Dalila were giggling. Christine smiled a little, politely, but with the expression of someone waiting for the punchline. Only Adiel appeared to have taken them seriously, and she looked terrified.

"It was a nice try. We have to give them 'A' for effort," Dalila conceded, her laughter calming.

"I don't know. If they were going to pull out some space princess on us, they should have at least gone for Alyson," Lyyli said skeptically. She caught the look on Jenny's face, and quickly added, "Sorry, Jen. Not that you're not, um…" She trailed off, apparently unable to come up with something comforting to say.

"Thanks," Jenny said dryly. She caught Nick's eye and couldn't help responding to the smile and wink he gave her before remembering her position on him and looking away quickly.

"This isn't going to work," Makoto said, sighing.

"I guess we're going to have to show them," agreed Minako. Her lips curved into a smile.

"Show us what?" Dalila asked, lazily flicking her dark hair over her shoulder.

Simultaneously, everyone in the room, including Kai, Alexei, and Mamoru, changed into their alter egos. When the dust and starlight cleared, only Jenny and Nick were left sitting there unchanged with the four girls who sat stunned in the midst of a sea of superhero figures.

Lyyli wasn't laughing anymore.

"You see," Sailorpluto said pleasantly to the four girls. "This is your destiny. You can't deny it any longer. You have a duty."

There wasn't even the remotest hint of a smile on either Dalila or Lyyli's faces. Lyyli's eyes were wide, showing a perfect sphere of white around her irises blue as glacier ice. Dalila was breathing abnormally quickly and heavily; on her normally composed expression, it was almost like hyperventilating. Jenny bit the inside of her lip with a smile. It was nice to see someone else panicking for once. She was enjoying herself – especially remembering the way Dalila's fingers had toyed with Nick's hair at the club on Halloween.

"You…all of you…" Lyyli stuttered, looking at Jupiter and Venus, and then around the room in amazement. Several people nodded, including Sailorhestia, who smirked slightly at her roommates.

It was Christine who managed the most composure. Fingers playing with the silver cross around her neck, she said, "All of us, you mean." Her voice was quiet. Her lips were set in a little frown, and her eyes, so wise for a fourteen year old, were sad.

On cue, Sailoranteros opened her closed fist, revealing four transforming rings with green, light blue, dark blue, and brown gems. She tossed them at the four new girls. Only Christine reached out to catch her ring with the emerald-like gem, but the others clattered to the floor near their owners. Christine examined her silver ring carefully, her eyes moving from cautious to curious. After a moment, Dalila and Lyyli reached out and took their rings, which were dark blue and light blue respectively. Adiel didn't move to take hers, but her wide brown eyes were fixed on her ring. It was facing her, and her gem, the rich color of polished dark wood, glittered at her invitingly.

"I don't believe this," Dalila said flatly. She slipped her ring on her right ring finger, and delicately touched it with the other hand. The gem was the exact color of her eyes, the deep stormy blue of the ocean.

"Go ahead, transform," Jenny urged them, her voice amused. Lyyli looked over at her with narrowed eyes fixed on the ruby-colored ring that Jenny wore on the middle finger of her right hand.

"Why doesn't she have to do it?"

"She can't. It's part of the story which we'll tell you after you try it out yourselves."

"Do it," Sailorpandia said sharply and crossed her arms. "We don't have all day."

"I don't know how," Adiel whispered, the first words she'd spoken since the meeting started.

"You'll know," Uranus said mysteriously. She also looked like she was enjoying herself, and nudged Neptune with her elbow.

After a long pause, the four new girls looked at one another. Adiel was shaking like a leaf. Christine decided to take the lead and raised her hand into the air.

"Power of Metis," she started, her voice slow and wondering, as if she couldn't figure out where the words were coming from. "Transform me!"

In response, the other girls raised their hands.

"Power of Astraea, transform me!" Dalila called.

"Power of Urania, transform me!" Lyyli yelled.

"Power of Demeter, transform me!" Adiel squeaked.

Flashes of light came along with the distant sound of ringing bells as the transformation took place. Before long, the four newest senshi stood before the others, their faces twisted in disbelief.

"Welcome to the team," Mercury said cheerfully.

The four whitened.

"This is a dream. It has to be a dream," the girl who used to be Lyyli whispered, her face pale. The newly woken Sailorurania stretched out her hands and looked at them with surprise. Her skirt was a pale blue, almost the same shade as her hair, and the long bows sweeping around her were a darker blue.

Sailorastraea, on the other hand, had a dark blue skirt and green bows. She looked around the room in horror, her cool confidence vanished for the first time in her life.

Nick grinned. "Breathe, Lila," he said mischievously, and she glared at him.

"Watch it," she warned. "I'm assuming I have powers now. I could fry you in a second."

"We can't use our powers for evil," Sailormetis cut in, as wise as always. Her skirt was a bright green and the bows were an cool, icy blue. She looked at Sailordemeter and smiled, her grey eyes bright.

"Ady, what do you think?"

Sailordemeter shrugged, her brown eyes troubled. She looked very much like she wanted to run away. With her brown skirt and green bows, she could easily have run into the woods and stayed there hidden for a very long while, but she couldn't move, like a doe caught in the middle of the road, hypnotized by headlights.

"I think," Astraea said finally, her voice serious, "that you'd better explain again."

Everyone detransformed, and Kelly began the story again.

0 0 0

Nearly two hours later, after the story had been driven into the minds of the newcomers, Jenny once again found herself to be the center of attention.

"You don't have to treat me like a two year old," she groaned. "I'm not completely useless." The subject had once again turned to her safety. The senshi were discussing protecting her in shifts so that there was never a moment, day or night, when she wasn't being watched by at least two of them. It exhausted Jenny to think of them being that committed to her, as well as unsettled her to think that she might never have a moment to herself again. No more wandering through Tokyo on her own, sketching the passing people or the unusual sculptures she unexpectedly came across in the streets. No more sleeping, eating, breathing, creating on her own. She was going to be more carefully watched than the President of the United States.

"We can't risk losing you," Haruka explained coolly, clearly impatient with how lightly Jenny was treating her dangerous situation.

"I get that, but you can't be there _all_ the time. I will need to shower and dress occasionally. And there are places I'll be where it will just be weird to have an entourage trailing behind me. Like when I'm over at Max's. What am I supposed to tell him?"

Nick suddenly looked quite cheerful. "Well, you'll just have to explain that you won't be visiting him anymore. Tell him you joined the Chess Club."

"_No_," Jenny said. Nick wasn't the only person who looked surprised at the passion in Jenny's voice as she spoke. She shook her head stubbornly.

"I'm not leaving him. That's non-negotiable. Being with him is the only time I feel…"

"Alive?" Brenna asked teasingly, her eyes twinkling as she grinned at Jenny.

"Not like a freak who needs to be watched 24/7," Jenny amended, even though Brenna's joking suggestion worked just as well. She could feel the warmth in her cheeks. Suddenly unable to meet anyone's eyes, she looked down and started playing with her silver ring. She knew some of them were misinterpreting the blush. They wouldn't be able to understand the solace she got from Max, the feeling of normalcy. He was her one link to a reasonable world, and she was not willing to lose him

"He's my friend," she said seriously, meeting the eyes of those around her, trying to make them understand. Dalila and Michiru smiled at her with sympathy, but Nick's eyes didn't lose their coldness.

"We wouldn't try to take him away from you," Mamoru assured her. He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, and then turned to Nick. "Nick is still interning for him. Can you arrange it so that you two are always over there at the same time?"

Nick looked slightly surprised, but he nodded. "Sure, I think we could arrange that. He's always been flexible with my schedule. I think if we both told him there was no other time we could meet, that would work. I could keep an eye on her, and call you if there's any trouble."

Jenny was not thrilled with this suggestion, but if it allowed her to keep seeing Max, she wasn't going to argue. "Fine," she said shortly. She'd work out the details later so that she and Max could keep Nick out of their way. Perhaps Max could send Nick on various errands that took him all over Tokyo. She knew he'd be amused and play along if she suggested such a scheme to him.

"This is assuming that Mr. Gordon isn't the one we're trying to keep her away from," Nick said darkly. He didn't look at Jenny as he spoke; rightly so, because the wave of indignation that rose within her at his suggestion would have flared from her eyes and scalded him.

"How can you suggest that?" she demanded. "It's Max. You _know_ him."

"Yeah, I know him. That's the problem." Nick still wouldn't look at her. "There's something strange about his interest in you. It isn't normal. You have to admit that."

"Wait a minute, hold on. You're suggesting that this Max Gordon is actually Lord Ahriman?" Makoto asked in astonishment. She exchanged a worried look with her boyfriend Kai, who shrugged slightly.

"Alexei and I would be able to tell if we could meet him. If Nick's right, however, it could be dangerous for us to confront him. It could startle him into an attack if he thought we suspected him."

"No, no. He wouldn't, because it's not him. I've been alone with him plenty of times, and he's never done anything to hurt me. Wouldn't he have tried if he _was_ Lord Ahriman?" Jenny asked exasperatedly. She knew her cheeks were flushed to a deep red by that time, brought on from irritation. Nick's suggestion was ridiculous. Lord Ahriman had no problem with sneaking into her bedroom at night; surely if he had her alone in his house, he would have done worse, and so much sooner.

"She's right" said Kelly unexpectedly. "It's not him. I checked him out right after she made friends with him. He's clean."

"You used your powers to scan him?" Ami looked at Kelly with interest. Rei, however, frowned. She seemed threatened by the strength of Kelly's psychic abilities compared to her own.

Kelly looked slightly abashed. "Not exactly. I Googled him. His family has been in business in Japan for generations. He's the real deal. Besides, I think I would have felt it by now if there was anything unusual about him."

"See?" Jenny looked at Nick triumphantly. Her smug smile faltered a little as she saw the look on his face. His brown eyes were concerned. He was genuinely worried about her and her involvement with Max, Lord Ahriman or not. The strength of his conviction shone in his expression. He felt he was right, and it was clear that he was going to do everything in his power to keep her safe.

"Either way, I'll be there," Nick said quietly. There was both warmth and sadness in his expression as he looked at her. Jenny met his gaze, and the rest of the room dropped away.

Jenny was still watching Nick with confusion, long after he looked away, while Kelly and Usagi started planning shifts for the senshi to start watching Jenny. She watched him as the conversation turned from business to social affairs, while Dalila, Lyyli, Christine, and Adiel were formally introduced to those they hadn't already met. She continued looking at him as various members of the group started drifting away, putting on their heavy coats and hats for the trip home through the cool November weather. She watched him as Nick finally got up to leave with Dalila, Lyyli, and Brenna, Dalila teasing him about the game of Apples to Apples he owed them. But he never looked back at Jenny as he put on his shoes and stepped down the steps of the temple with them, throwing a careless wave over his shoulder. Not once.


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Chapter Eleven**

Sweetest love, I do not go,  
For weariness of thee,  
Nor in hope the world can show  
A fitter Love for me.  
-John Donne

The low sound of Nick and Max's conversation drifted over to Jenny like a background hum of elevator music. They were discussing marketing research on one of the company's new products, something Jenny knew little and cared even less about. She was focused on her painting. Overall, she was satisfied. She would never be Botticelli or Vermeer, but for her first portrait, it was decent. It looked like him, for a start. More than him. The painting was her internal vision of Max, the symmetry of his features exaggerated, his hair thicker and shinier than in life, his eyes brighter. So what if she had given the portrait a mystical, ethereal quality? In her eyes, Max was that and so much more. He was her savior, her sanity.

He was the one thing in her life that made her feel like herself, like the Jenny she had been before she had come to Japan. And it was killing her that every moment she spent with him lately had to be shared with Nick.

Jenny covertly peered around the canvas to look at them. Nick was wearing his usual business suit that managed to look both strange and natural on him. He was nodding as Max showed him something in a folder, his brow slightly creased. Max was dressed more casually in grey slacks and a loosely-buttoned white shirt, but casual on him was like a prince in full regalia. He was explaining something to Nick, a hint of a smile playing about his lips. Max always had that expression when he spoke to Nick, as if there was something about the boy that he found privately amusing. It was one of many things that Jenny loved about him.

Feeling her eyes upon him, Nick looked up. Jenny immediately turned back to her painting and added a few strokes of black paint. She couldn't help feeling cross with him. She knew it was unreasonable, because based on the senshi-imposed safety restrictions, it was either deal with Nick or get no Max at all. But still, she couldn't hold back the bitterness that flooded into her when she thought about it. It was bad enough that she was followed everywhere by the senshi. Having Nick butt into her Max time was one more block on the impossibly high Jenga tower of her sanity. Sooner or later, it was going to come crashing down.

So intent was Jenny on her private seething that she didn't realize she was being called until Max snapped his fingers before her face. She jumped.

"Take a break, little girl," he urged, a faint smile on his beautiful lips. "You'll hurt yourself. Have a drink with Nick and I. We were just about to."

The drink was a nightly ritual. It was usually a sign that they were about to be kicked out. Max would have wine or sherry or gin and tonic, and Jenny would have her usual glass of Coke. Nick wanted whatever Max was having, and he would sip his drink, looking every bit a professional chaperone, while Jenny and Max talked. He never took a hint to leave, even though Max laid out plenty of them. He would only get up when Jenny was ready to go home. Jenny could sense Max's frustration at this, but, ever the gentlemen, he never said a word.

Jenny placed her paintbrush aside and followed Max to the bar on the wall. Nick was already there. He looked unusually distracted. There were purple shadows underneath his eyes. Jenny remembered Brenna telling her at lunch that he and Dalila had been out until 4 A.M. the night before. Her negative feelings toward him intensified.

"I'll have one too," Jenny said. Max was pouring himself and Nick glasses of Pinot Noir. He lifted an eyebrow at her, but said nothing as he reached for a third glass. The wine was a deep red-purple as it splashed into the crystal. It might have been blood.

Nick slapped his hands down on the bar and gave her a dirty look. "You're not old enough to drink."

Jenny snorted. "And you are?"

"I'd rather she learn here than somewhere else," Max said mildly as he handed Jenny her glass. "Besides, I understand we have a birthday tomorrow. That's worth a celebration."

Jenny choked on her wine. She hoped it would be taken by Max as surprise rather than shock at the new taste in her mouth. She fought the urge to cough as the wine stung her throat and the back of her tongue. She wished she had a glass of water to drink from between each sip, but she didn't want Max to see how unsophisticated she was. She took another sip, willing her expression to stay calm. When she looked at Max, he was wearing his casually amused smile.

"Birthday?" she asked, hoping to distract him from her uncouthness, before realizing he meant her own. "Who told you?"

"Nick mentioned it."

Jenny looked at Nick suspiciously, but he wasn't paying attention to either of them. He was swirling the wine in his glass and staring into the fire.

"Seventeen is a big one," Max told her seriously. "One more year and you're a legal adult."

Great. That was as good as saying he thought of her as a child. Jenny took another long sip of wine. Her slight frown blossomed into a smile when Max lightly clinked his glass against hers.

"Cheers," he said. And then: "I was meaning to tell you before, but it slipped my mind. I'm having a New Year's Eve party for my colleagues and employees. I would be honored to have you attend."

Jenny looked at him quizzically, her heart starting to pound. "What do you mean by party? Like…_party_ party? Or do I have to buy a dress and act all proper?"

Max laughed, his warm voice resounding throughout the room. "The second, but I have no doubt you can pull it off, my dear. In fact, if you don't have anything suitable to wear, I will buy you a dress. I'll have Sera take you shopping."

"You've given her so much already," Nick said suddenly, giving Max a sharp look.

"Did I ask you?" Max said easily, eyes not leaving Jenny's face. Beside her, Nick flushed. Jenny was going to turn him down because it was true – he _had_ given her so much in the last few months – but anything that made Nick unhappy was all right with her.

"Thank you, Max," she said, smiling at him gratefully. "That would be wonderful."

"Then it's settled," Max said crisply. He looked over at Nick. "I know I can count on you, Mr. Kestrel, to take care of the details of my little soiree."

_Soiree_. He used the word _soiree_. Jenny took another sip of wine, feeling the gathering warmth from her throat to her toes. God, she loved him.

Nick was perfectly expressionless as he took out his notebook and a pen. Max started talking about his party in great detail while Nick took notes. Max got up once to refill their glasses of wine, which Jenny gladly accepted. She knew Nick was watching her as she started gulping down her second glass, but he knew better than to say anything. At least with Max in the room.

Jenny had just finished her second glass and was feeling pleasantly light-headed when Max mentioned hiring an band to play music for dancing. "Dancing?" she blurted. Her mind flashed images of Rodger and Hammerstein's _Cinderella_. It sounded like the perfect venue for making a fool of herself.

"Oh, everyone enjoys a good waltz here and there," Max said.

"_Most_ people," Nick corrected. For the first time all evening, he was smiling. Quite possibly he was remembering Jenny's first dance recital at age five, in which she had knocked over three fellow flowers and collided with the Dew Drop Fairy during the finale of her dance studio's production of _The Nutcracker_. Her parents had decided ballet was not for her, and promptly removed her from dance lessons.

"I _love_ dancing," Jenny said loudly and untruthfully. She was feeling the heat in the room. Annoyed, she started to remove her black sweater and got caught in it. Max reached over to aid her, and she was eventually able to twist out of it. After tossing the sweater aside, she smoothed out her hair and looked at Nick. He was glowering at her.

Struck with a sudden idea, Jenny said, "Although, I don't know very much about dancing. I always wanted to learn, though. You know, like ballroom dancing? The costumes are so pretty."

She was babbling, but her words had the desired effect. "I know a little. I'd be glad to teach you," Max said.

"Would you? That'd be great." Jenny grinned at him. She stood, and for the first time felt the dizzying effect of the wine as she swayed slightly. She gripped the side of the bar with one hand and offered the other to Max. Smiling, he accepted. Aware that Nick was watching them, Jenny threw her arms around Max's neck. She pulled herself so close that she could feel the hard lines of his body and the relaxed beating of his heart. His scent, so strong and pleasant, reminding her of afternoon storms, filled her nostrils.

"You smell good," she told him.

"Oh, my God," said Nick under his breath.

Max only smiled as he gently pushed her back a step to a more appropriate distance. He took her hands in his. He then proceeded to teach her some simple steps and different types of dancing, from waltzing to foxtrot to the tango. Jenny found herself laughing giddily as he swept her around the room. She was having so much fun; nothing in her life, not a single moment in her memory, could match the feeling.

Max was still spinning her ten minutes later when a wave of dizziness hit. Jenny's legs seemed to wobble beneath her. She reached out wildly for Max's shirt. If Max's quick hands hadn't caught her around the waist, she might have fallen.

"Whoa, whoa, that's enough for one night," he said, steadying her. Jenny reached up and grabbed his shoulders for balance. Her face felt uncomfortably hot, whether from the wine or exercise or embarrassment, she could not tell.

"It's getting late. I think it's time for us to go," Nick said firmly from the bar. Jenny looked over at him with a frown. She had almost forgotten he was there. Nick stood and started gathering his belongings. He looked at her, clearly expecting her to do the same. Instead, Jenny's hands tightened over Max's shoulders. She let herself sway before leaning forward to rest her head against his chest.

"Gosh, I don't feel so well. It must be the wine," she said languidly.

"Do you need to sit down?" Max asked. She could hear the worry in his voice, and felt it in the way he carefully guided her back to the bar and helped her up on one of the stools. Jenny put a hand to her forehead as if she had a headache and shut her eyes. When she opened them again, she saw the two men standing in front of her. Max's face was taut with concern, but Nick's lips were set in a tight frown.

_You wouldn't dare_, his eyes told her darkly.

_Watch me_, Jenny flashed back gleefully. She slowly brought her head down to rest on the bar.

"I feel so dizzy. I may need to lie down."

"Maybe you should spend the night," Max offered. Jenny lifted her head and smiled at him gratefully, but Nick was unmoved. He picked up her black sweater from the floor.

"It's not necessary. I can get her home."

"I must insist," Max said in his soft way that was nonetheless firm. "It's better she return to her family tomorrow. I may have allowed her to drink too much."

"_May_ have?" It was interesting to watch Max and Nick as they looked at each other. There was challenge in their expressions, equally heated from both sides. Neither appeared willing to back down.

Max was the one who finally broke the stare. He looked at Jenny, one eyebrow carefully arched. "Do you want to go home?"

"No," she said.

Max nodded and turned back to Nick. "Well, that's settled, isn't it?"

"But…"

"Goodnight, Nick." It was the clear, dismissive tone of an employer to an employee. Nick hesitated, looking at Jenny, but she lay her head back down on the bar and shut her eyes. Without a word, Nick turned and left the room. Jenny could hear his footsteps as he walked out, growing fainter and fainter until they were gone. Only then did she lift her head. Max was looking at her with a worried frown, but she rolled her eyes at him.

"That got rid of him."

"What?" Max's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Can I have some water?" she asked, springing up to head to the reverse side of the bar. After she had poured herself a glass, Max was still looking at her. On anyone less elegant, she would have called the expression _gaping_.

Jenny shrugged. "It's been awhile since it's been just you and me. I didn't know how else to make him leave."

Max continued to blink at her. Slowly, his shock melted into a smile. "You're incredible."

Jenny grinned at him, feeling very happy. "Call me selfish, but sometimes I want you all to myself." She wasn't drunk like she had pretended, but the wine was making her bold. Immediately after she said it, she regretted it. Max meant everything to her, but he didn't necessarily feel the same. To hide her embarrassment, she lowered her head and took a sip of water. Her heart pounded uncomfortably.

But Max surprised her. "Couldn't have put it better myself," he said. When she turned to him, pleased wonder in her eyes, he winked.

"I've got something for you." He reached into the deep pocket of his trousers and produced a long, slim box that suspiciously looked like a birthday present.

"Max," Jenny said softly.

"I know celebrating your birthday away from your family must be difficult, and I realize that you may not have told me it was your birthday for a reason. Regardless, I wanted to show you how much I…appreciate your being here."

The box he held out to her was silver and held together with a red ribbon. Jenny took it from him and looked down at it in her hands, very moved. "You didn't have to…"

"But I did. Open it."

Jenny cast one last look at him before slipping the ribbon off and opening the lid. Laying on the black velvet lining of the box was a necklace with a delicate silver chain. The symbol at the end of the chain looked like a silver cross except that the top was rounded and had a hole in the center. Filling the hole was a ruby of a deep, brilliant red that caught the shimmering light of the fire. Jenny reached down and touched it, feeling the coolness of the gem against her fingertip.

Max smiled slightly and reached over her to pick it up. As he unhooked the silver chain, he said, "It's an ankh. An ancient Egyptian symbol, supposed to stand for power and eternal life. I thought it could represent our friendship. Someday when you're off in Paris at a fancy art school with hundreds of young men and buyers following you around, maybe you'll wear it sometimes and remember me."

Jenny lifted her hair as he fastened the necklace around her neck. His cool fingertips brushed the delicate skin on her throat and made her shiver. "I would never forget you," she said earnestly, letting her hair down when he pulled away. She took his hand, clasping it tightly in her own.

"Thank you. It's beautiful."

Fire sparked with a loud pop on one of the logs in the fireplace. Still holding his hand, Jenny leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. Maybe it was the wine, maybe it was gratitude for his gift, but suddenly Jenny wanted to get closer to him than she had ever been before. There was no denying it: she was attracted to him. But she was not going to ruin what they had by acting like a junior high kid with a crush. She was too comfortable with him to do anything to change their friendship.

When she pulled away, Max was looking at her with a soft expression. Just when she thought the situation was in danger of becoming too sentimental, he squeezed her hand once and released it.

"Now tell me – and be honest – everything that has been going on with you lately."

0 0 0

Yawning, Jenny walked out into the morning sun. She took a few steps off the porch and looked back at the mansion, imagining Max was waving at her from one of the many windows. There was a dull buzzing in the back of her head from lack of sleep. She and Max had talked until three A.M. He had then shown her to a gloriously luxurious room with walls covered in oriental silk and a canopy bed fit for a queen. She had set the alarm on the bedside table for seven A.M. before burrowing into the layers of soft blankets and falling into a deep sleep. After the insistent buzzing of the alarm clock cut into her sweet dreams, she put on the previous day's wrinkled clothes and slipped out the front door quietly. The early December air chilled her, but she was content. If every birthday could begin like this one, she would die a happy lady. Everything she had been missing in the last month she had gotten back in one night. She was herself again.

Jenny started down the path to the black gates, humming to herself. It had snowed overnight several inches, but the sky that morning was sunny and bright and still. She kicked the powdery snow in front of her, and it sparkled in the sun like sugar. The shimmer reminded her of the ruby she wore around her neck, which was so beautiful it seemed to glitter without the intervention of light. She reached under her coat to clasp the ankh between her fingers. Max had asked that she wear it occasionally and think of him after she left Japan. If only he knew. Jenny had no plans to remove it anytime in the near future.

The guard booth outside the gate was curiously empty. Jenny reached up to undo the latch herself and then gasped when something dark and quick moved out from behind the wall. She took a step back, clutching her ankh tightly, before taking a better look at the figure and relaxing.

"God, Nick. You scared me!"

"Well, good morning, sunshine," he said bitterly.

Jenny's initial reaction was relief, but that quickly turned into confusion. She stared at him as he undid the latch for her and pushed the gate open so she could step through. When he released the gate, it closed behind her with a loud clang, cutting her off from the security of Max's world. Nick looked, if possible, even worse than he had the night before. The purple coloring beneath his eyes had deepened, and his eyelids were puffy. His normally tanned and healthy skin was pale. He looked as if he hadn't slept in a week. His mouth had a sour twist to it that conveyed as much kindness as poison.

"What are you doing here?" Jenny asked. As her eyes swept over him, she found the answer. The fabric of his slacks was wrinkled, and his shoes had lost their shine. There were snowflakes dotting the jacket of his suit and his dark hair. It wasn't that he had barely slept: he had never gone to bed at all.

"Were you out here all _night_?" she demanded in horror.

"Not _all_ night. I had to break a couple times for coffee."

"Why would you do something so stupid?" Jenny wasn't angry so much as bewildered. His behavior made no sense to her.

Nick stiffened at her words. Rather than answer her, he asked, "Did you have a good time?" The tone of his voice made it clear that he rather hoped she hadn't. Jenny found herself bristling at the sound.

"Why the hell is it any business of yours?"

"Because you are my business. I'm supposed to watch you while you're over here."

"This place is fortified like a castle. What did you think was going to happen? And what were you going to do about it if something did?"

"At least one of us is trying to keep you safe. Do you care at all about the effort everyone is putting in to keep you away from Lord Ahriman? Everything Usagi, your _sister_, has done?"

"She's not my sister," Jenny said automatically, digging in her tote bag for her tube of lip gloss. Before she was able to find it, she froze. Spoken aloud, the words hit her as a stab of pain. She hadn't meant it. Usagi was more real to her than her actual sister, Kristen, had ever been, blood relation or not. She didn't deserve to be cast aside so carelessly.

Nick smiled coldly. "Oh, well, that's nice. It'll make her life easier to know that so she can stop worrying about you all the time. I'll let her know how you feel."

"You can go to hell."

"Not so nice. Hate to tell you, princess, but you're not getting rid of me so easily. As long as you and Max continue your cuddle sessions, I'll be right around the corner."

Jenny calmly twisted the top off her tube of strawberry-flavored lip gloss and applied the gloss to her lips. As she recapped the tube and dropped it back into her bag, she asked, "Is this why you waited here for me all night, so you could catch me first thing on my birthday and insult me?"

"I am just fulfilling an oath. I promised Usagi and the others I would get you home safely after your weekly Max time. I live to deliver."

"You live to be a pain in my ass."

"Cute, Jen. You have such a way with words, you should be a writer."

Jenny turned and started walking down the street. She was infuriated, although not really surprised, when he came trotting after her. After a tense moment in which neither of them could speak, Jenny shot a look at him from the corner of her eye. He was so pale and his mouth was so tight he looked like a rubber band that could snap at any moment. She couldn't resist another jab to drill aggravation into him deeper. Her anger was making her feel strangely high.

"You know, maybe you should stop worrying about me so much and start worrying about yourself. You can blame me for not sleeping tonight, fine, but what about all the other nights you're out until dawn partying with Dalila and Lyyli? Do you ever go to class anymore?"

"At least I know who I am. I'm not trying to be something I'm not."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Nick stopped walking and grabbed her arm to swing her around to face him. He waved a hand at her as if that explained everything. When Jenny just stared at him with raised eyebrows, he sighed. "Those clothes, your shoes. Can you really walk in those things?"

Bewildered, Jenny looked down at herself. She was wearing short black leather boots with three inch heels over black tights. Underneath her long black trench coat, which she wore unbuttoned, was a red miniskirt and her black v-neck sweater that clung to her like a second skin, showing what little curves she had.

"I guess," she said with a shrug. "So what?"

"It's not you, that's what. I've never known you to wear anything but jeans. Ever since you started hanging out with Max, you've changed. You're doing it for him."

"Did it ever occur to you that I only dressed like a slacker before because I was trying my hardest to be invisible? I didn't want to be noticed."

"And now you do?"

"Only by _some_." She shot him a smug look, but his eyes were fixed on the ankh necklace Max had given her. It was shining against her pale throat. Jenny pulled her coat more tightly around her, trying to hide it, but Nick was already frowning.

"I see," he said.

Jenny started walking again. Nick didn't hesitate before joining her side. She could feel him building up for another criticism, so she beat him to it. "While we're on the subject of trying to be something we're not, how are your business classes going, Nick?"

When all she received was icy silence, she added, "I seem to recall that in your senior yearbook you said it was your dream to be an actor. You were going to go storm the world on Broadway or something. Didn't take you long to sell out."

"Well, what can I say? Money has made us both whores."

Jenny looked at him, heart beating unsteadily. "What are you talking about?"

"What do you think? Our darling boss. I take care of his business needs. You take care of the rest. The guy has you over several times a week. You're a teenager, but you're like his best friend. He gives you the kind of jewelry a guy would give his mistress. He's paid you so much you've bought yourself a wardrobe Paris Hilton would be proud of. He wines you, dines you, practically begs you to spend the night. And I'm supposed to believe he's just paying you to paint his portrait?"

Jenny felt so cold, she couldn't speak. Jealousy and hatred of Max were leaking from Nick, poisoning the air around them. He looked like a different person, consumed with negative thoughts that were eating him from the inside out. Tears started to sting Jenny's eyes, and she made no attempt to hide them. Immediately at the sight of her tears, Nick's poisoned expression melted. He looked pained.

"No, Jen, I didn't mean it like that."

"Of course you did."

"No, really, I…"

Nick tried to reach out to her, but she easily sidestepped his fingers. "Don't touch me," she snapped, shaking him off. Nick's hand stayed in the air, where he had tried to grab her shoulder. His fingers slowly closed into his palm to become a loose fist. She couldn't bear his insinuations, especially coming off what had been one of the best nights of her life. Nick had called her a whore, meaning every possible interpretation of the word. To think that Max, who was so good to her, would ever take advantage like that was disgusting. Jenny felt sick thinking about it.

"My brothers aren't old enough to care, but I don't think they'd appreciate your trying to take their place," she said icily.

"Your brothers," Nick echoed, shaking his head with disbelief. "You think it's your brother I'm trying to be? God, what does it take to make you understand? _I'm in love with you_." He practically yelled the last sentence at her. Jenny stood frozen as she stared at him. It was so bizarre to hear him say it with anger fresh in his voice. She felt a sudden desire to laugh.

"No, you're not," she said instead, as calmly as she could manage. It turned out, it wasn't very. She was shaking from some strong emotion that was determined to shred her insides. She reached out to steady herself against a nearby lamppost.

"You're not," she repeated. "Number one: if you really were, you wouldn't be trying your hardest to make my life miserable. Number two: you're basing this on one tiny fraction of your soul that thousands of years ago had a crush on a tiny fraction of mine. I don't buy the theory that we're ruled by fate, and therefore destined to be together. And even if we were, I don't want it. I don't want _you_."

"Well, I want you. Not some soul fragment from a past life. I love _you_. If you think this is recent, you have no idea. It's been hell not talking to you. All those years of seeing you every day and not being able to do anything about it because of some stupid mistake I made when I was a kid. I left it alone, because I could see you hated me, and who could blame you? I thought time would break it. I moved to Japan to get away from you, but the distance only made it worse."

Jenny wasn't prepared for the sudden deep reaction his words caused. Gasping, she brought a hand to her mouth. Tears leaked down her cheeks, leaving cold wet trails on her face. Nick looked absolutely agonized as he reached for her to wipe them away. His arms found their way around her waist. Jenny was too numb to resist as he pulled her against his chest. His head bent to lightly rest his forehead against hers, just enough that she could feel the fine trembling that ran through him, matching her own. Their breath mingled together in icy puffs of air. Jenny was very aware of the warmth rising from beneath his coat. A sudden urge hit her to return the embrace, to touch him. She wanted to feel his skin, the way she had in fragments of dreams of the past. The little bit of Bryn that harbored within her rose to the surface; she wanted him, all of him. She demanded to be heard.

"I don't want to hurt you," Nick said huskily.

His words struck an odd chord. _I'll never leave you again_, he had said in one of her dreams. Again, meaning he had failed her before. Even in the past, she couldn't trust him. How could she do it now?

Feeling her shivers calm, Jenny lifted her head. Carefully, she tried to detach herself from his embrace. When his arms instinctively tightened, Jenny brought her hands to his chest and forcibly shoved him away from her. Nick stumbled in the snow, looking oddly lost. When he lifted his head, his eyes were full of surprise and vulnerability, Jenny tried to look as cold as she could. She folded her arms across her chest.

"You don't want to hurt me? Then stay the hell away from me," she told him. Deliberately, she turned and marched down the sidewalk through the snow. As she had intended, he did not follow her.

0 0 0

Jenny cried openly as she walked home. She didn't care who saw her or what anyone thought. The hurt inside her was too deep. She felt as if part of her soul had been ripped from her body. She tried to tell herself that it was better this way, to make things final with Nick. They had been dancing around a dangerous game for months, for their whole lives, really. She tried to cheer herself with the thought that maybe now she could be free of him, but it didn't work. Any thoughts of finality with him pained her so much that she was overcome with shaking so severe she thought she was going to collapse right into the glittering snow.

Why why _why_ did Nick have to be such a jerk? Worse, why did she have to care?

Jenny wiped her eyes with her sleeve, only to have them filled immediately with more tears. A sob rose in her throat, and she wrapped her arms around herself for comfort. Her legs started to stagger, not willing to move forward. She reached out wildly for anything in her path to hold onto, but there was nothing.

"Jenny-san…what's wrong?"

Jenny looked up. Usagi was on the sidewalk ahead of her, all bundled up in a warm winter coat, gloves, and a hat. A lot more sensible than what she was wearing. Jenny glanced down at herself with a grimace. Perhaps Nick was right about that…but she couldn't think about him.

Fresh tears slid down her cheeks and Usagi stepped towards her, alarmed. Without any pretense, Jenny flung herself at Usagi, sobbing harder than ever, so much that her throat hurt and her nose ran. Usagi caught her neatly and held her tightly, even though she was a good five inches shorter than her American sister. After most of her tears dried up and her sobbing subsided, Usagi put an arm around Jenny's waist and carefully led her back to the house.

"I was worried about you," she said. "Nick called me and told me that you were on your way. He said I should come out to meet you. Did you two have a fight?"

Jenny let out her breath in a little sigh. She didn't say anything. Usagi seemed to understand, because she didn't press her further. They walked the rest of the way to their house in silence.

Once they reached the house and stepped up to the porch, Usagi turned and looked at Jenny with sympathy. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked gently. Jenny shook her head, cheeks still wet but eyes dry.

"No, but Usagi…thanks." She meant it. Usagi's calm strength and open arms had meant much more to her than words ever could.

Usagi smiled at her before entering the house and taking off her coat. "No problem, Jen-chan," she said cheerfully. "Anytime you need me, I'll be there." Jenny smiled at that, feeling lighter. There was something about Usagi's nearly constant good cheer that was contagious.

"By the way," Usagi added hesitantly, her smile drooping a little. "Nick gave me something yesterday to give to you today. I left it on your bed."

Jenny's good mood faded away and she clenched her fists to stop from crying again. _A bomb, most likely,_ she thought bitterly but managed to smile at Usagi. "Thank you." She made her way to the stairs, hand stretched out for the support of the railing.

Usagi stood in the hall watching her and chewing on her lower lip. "You'll be okay?"

"Yes, fine." Jenny shrugged at her before turning towards the stairs and ascending with a heavy heart that made the process difficult. She reached her room and pushed the door open warily, not sure she wanted to see inside. On her bed, as Usagi had claimed, was a neatly wrapped present.

_Probably something awful_, she thought as she neared it. _I'm not going to get upset. I _won't.

Jenny sat on the bed and reached for the package. Somehow, her fingers managed to undo the wrapping and ribbons, producing a white box underneath. With shaky hands, she took off the lid. What she saw underneath was nothing like what she had expected.

He had given her a tinted glass rose. The delicate pink petals and intricate leaves and thorns twisting around the long stem made it look like it was plucked from a fairy tale. Bewildered, Jenny lifted it out of the box and examined it. It was truly beautiful, something she hadn't thought Nick would be capable of appreciating. But why? Her eyes drifted to the box and she saw a tiny scrap of paper buried in the tissue paper. Cautiously, she picked it up, her eyes scanning the words.

It was written: 'Just a little something to remember! Happy Birthday, and (almost) Merry X-Mas. Nick.'

_Mrs. Greensbury_, Jenny realized. _He means Mrs. Greensbury's roses._

Tear droplets fell onto the paper, blurring the words, but Jenny couldn't bring herself to throw it away. Not yet, not ever.

"Merry Christmas, Nick," she whispered and started sobbing once more.


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve**

Its horror and its beauty are divine.  
-Percy Bysshe Shelley

The evening of December 31st promised to be a night to remember.

Jenny stepped out of the limousine, carefully holding her skirt. Her eyes widened at the beauty she saw before her. Under the faraway light of the stars, the Gordon mansion looked like a castle out of a fairytale. Max had spared no expense to create his personal winter wonderland. The black gates surrounding his property were decorated with holly leaves and red ribbons. Ice sculptures lined the walkway to the mansion. Jenny saw elves and swans and smiling princesses, all lit by colored lights behind each sculpture. Strings of white Christmas lights hung from the trees and bushes. The warmer nights in the last week had resulted in the melting of the mid-December snow, but Max was not one to be bested by Mother Nature. He had brought in his own snow from the mountains so that his grounds were covered in a soft blanket of white.

Seeing it all, it was impossible for Jenny to believe that such a man as Max, a sorcerer who used his wealth to create a fairytale land, could be as sinister as Nick believed him to be.

"You weren't kidding about his extravagance," said Kelly. She was standing beside Jenny, her arms folded tightly across her chest. She sounded grudgingly impressed. All around them, as the rest of their friends emerged from the limos, mouths were hanging open and eyes were shining with anticipation.

"It's like a real ball," Minako said dreamily, clinging to her boyfriend Alexei's arm. Even Haruka's usually hardened expression was soft as she watched the parade of guests through Max's gates with an arm around Michiru's shoulders. The path from the street to the mansion could have served as the red carpet for the Academy Awards. People were drifting past them in beautiful designer gowns and tuxedos, in all colors and fabrics. Jenny saw more glittering jewels in one minute than she had seen in her entire life.

She had been somewhat amused to find that her own group had gravitated in their gown choices towards colors that reflected their senshi powers. Usagi was looking softly beautiful in a pink dress with red roses as trim. The color in her cheeks as she held Mamoru's hand matched the dress. Rei and Ami were in red and blue respectively, both wearing floor-length gowns with thin straps that laced up the back. Brenna's dress was strapless, a shiny, vivid orange that barely covered her upper thighs. Adiel was looking nervous and chewing on her fingernails in a simple knee-length brown velvet dress with long sleeves and a scoop neck. Only Kelly and Jenny had avoided the pattern by wearing black. Jenny was surprised Kelly had agreed to wear a dress at all. Her dress was long with thin straps and a silver chain that hung loosely around her waist. Her skirt was slitted on one side most of the way up her leg, revealing a metal chain tattoo that circled her thigh like a garter. Jenny's dress was looser and fell to just below her knees, with a shimmering, translucent black layer covering a solid black layer underneath. Her hair was loose against her bare shoulders, and her ankh necklace was around her neck. She felt the magic of the night in a burning excitement that filled her chest.

Jenny had suspected Nick was behind it when Usagi and Mamoru asked her if it was possible for all of them to be invited to Max's New Year's Eve party. His suspicions of Max raged on. Although he knew better than to speak his fears in front of Jenny, he still whispered them to the others. At first Jenny had been against the idea of putting Max on exhibition like that, but the more she thought about it the more she realized how smart it would be. Not only was it an opportunity for the senshi to be together to bring in the New Year, it was also her chance, once and for all, to settle the matter of Max's nature with them.

Jenny had expected Max to find her request strange, but he had been surprisingly gracious when she asked if she could invite twenty of her friends to his party. He had even sent his personal limousine and hired two others to pick them up. Jenny was literally burning with anticipation to see him. Since their fight two weeks earlier, Jenny had refused to be anywhere near Nick. Unsurprisingly, the senshi had refused to allow Jenny to continue to see Max without someone watching over her. Jenny had claimed increased work at school as the reason for staying away when she spoke to Max on the phone. It took all of her control not to confide in him and blurt out the whole crazy story. She didn't know how much longer she could handle staying away from him.

Nick and Dalila were among the last to leave the limos. Jenny tried not to stare, but once they came into her vision she couldn't look away. They looked perfect and beautiful, like an A-list Hollywood couple. Dalila was stunning in a dress of dark blue with layers of fabric that flowed down at different lengths from the top of her strapless dress like the waves of the sea. Her dark hair was pulled into a twist, but tendrils of curly hair escaped and framed her face in a preconceived way that looked accidental. Nick wore a black tuxedo similar to Mamoru, Kai, and Alexei, but his had more power to draw Jenny's eyes than any of the others. She had never seen him look better.

Before his eyes could find her own in the crowd, Jenny turned and took a determined step forward. "Let's go," she said with false cheerfulness. She could feel her cheeks burning with something she was afraid to identify. She was determined to enjoy the evening and avoid Nick as much as possible. She had no doubt that, after their last conversation, he would do his best to stay away from her.

The night air was freezing, resembling other December evenings, but Jenny felt a special warmth inside that glowed as she walked up the path to the mansion. Soon, she would see Max. The outside lights twinkled in her vision. Her friends were whispering excitedly to one another, caught up in the magic that surrounded them. On the front of the porch above the doors was a gigantic wreath stretching at least six feet in diameter. Jenny automatically lifted her hand for the knocker, but before she could touch it Sera opened the door.

"Welcome," she said, smiling at Jenny. Her eyes travelled over the large group, but if she was surprised she did not show it. She stepped aside and ushered them in. Her eyes landed on Lyyli with slightly more interest than usual as they all filed inside, but Jenny supposed it was because Lyyli was the only girl who wore a powder blue tuxedo instead of a dress.

Max's hired staff came forward to take their coats. Once her friends had shed their winter garments, Jenny led them to the ballroom where they were confronted with a sparkling cascade of silver and diamonds. The ballroom looked frosted as if it had been touched by the Snow Queen. Normally covered by shining, handsome dark wood, the walls were hung with gleaming white fabric that was hand-stitched with silver winter scenes. Tables were set up on one side of the ballroom, each with a small ice sculpture and shining silverware. The band was on a platform on the other side of the ballroom, all dressed in white. They were playing an instrumental version of "L.O.V.E."

"Jenny, Nick. I'm so pleased you could make it," a voice called out warmly. Jenny turned to see Max's smiling, handsome face. A rose color filled her cheeks that was not a result of the blush Brenna had so lightly applied. Max looked positively stunning in a well-cut Armani suit with his long hair neatly pulled back at the base of his neck. He was smiling as if he was genuinely delighted to see her. Jenny's blush deepened as he took her hand and bent to kiss it.

"Who are your friends?" Max asked, his voice low and amused. He released her hand and gave a polite nod to Nick. Introductions were quickly made. Jenny noticed that whatever suspicions her friends may have had were dissolved after a few moments with him. Kai and Alexei's eyes were especially intent as they each shook Max's hand, but he must have passed the test because they were both smiling when they pulled away. Only Nick still looked skeptical. He watched Max through narrowed eyes as if he thought the man was about to pull a bazooka out of his pocket.

Max turned back to Jenny with an arched eyebrow. "Quite a large group, but I'm pleased that you brought along so many beautiful young ladies."

Minako and Makoto giggled and blushed, much to the chagrin of Alexei and Kai.

"I hope you don't mind," Jenny said uneasily, not sure how he'd take the fact that she'd brought twenty strange teenagers to his party.

"Not at all," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "The more the merrier, right? You kids enjoy yourselves. If you need anything, I'll be around. By the way, Jenny, I love your dress. Save me a dance?"

Jenny smiled and nodded. Max gave a slight bow to her friends before leaving to attend to another group that had just entered the ballroom. Christine was the first to speak as she placed a hand on Jenny's arm.

"I think he's very nice," she said, smiling prettily. Jenny felt herself glowing with happiness as she looked down at the younger girl.

"Isn't he? He's wonderful." Chatting happily, the group moved further into the ballroom and separated. Jenny soon found herself standing alone, but she did not mind. She enjoyed watching the elegantly dressed people dance. She thought she recognized several popular Japanese actresses and a handful of politicians. Judging from the awed and excited reactions of Usagi, Minako, and Rei, there were even more celebrities in the room that she did not recognize.

Casually, Jenny's eyes drifted around the room until they landed on two people standing near the liquor bar. Immediately, she felt cold as if all the blood had drained from her body. The woman turned and met her stare with golden eyes. Her lips curved into a catlike smile. She nudged the man beside her, and he also turned to look. Jenny fought waves of nausea, and her heart thrummed with a rush of fear. She forced herself to tear her gaze from their cruel eyes and looked around wildly until she located Minako and Alexei standing together not far from her. Without a thought, Jenny hurried over to them. She stumbled into several of Max's guests on the way, but she didn't have enough composure to apologize.

"What's wrong? What's the matter?" Minako asked when Jenny came stumbling over. She touched Jenny's trembling shoulder, clearly alarmed.

Unable to speak, Jenny gestured wildly towards the bar. Minako sharply inhaled when she turned to look.

"Alex, it's…"

"Calcite and Azurite," Alexei filled in for her, his gray eyes giving off a coolness so unlike his new self. "Son of a bitch. I should have guessed we'd run into them sooner or later."

"It's the cat woman and the man who attacked Nick. Why are they here?" Jenny whispered desperately. Her mind was a whirl of confusion. She didn't understand why they would be at Max's party, flaunting it so openly. They didn't look the least concerned at having been found out. Azurite bent to whisper something in Calcite's ear, and she smirked. Together, they lifted their glasses of champagne as a salute and drank.

"I don't know," Minako said, patting Jenny's shoulder comfortingly. She looked at her boyfriend with a worried expression. "Are you sure you didn't pick anything up from Gordon-san?"

Jenny turned to him in alarm, but he smiled reassuringly. "Nothing. Whatever they are doing here, I don't think your friend is involved."

"Then what do we do?"

Alexei laughed bitterly. "Talk to them, of course. Isn't it polite to greet old friends?"

Holding hands tightly, Alexei and Minako started across the ballroom. Curious and not wanting to be left alone, Jenny followed close behind. As she walked, she scanned the room for Nick. He was off in a corner talking with Dalila and Lyyli. Should he be warned? For the moment he looked happy, laughing at some story Lyyli was telling. Jenny didn't want to disturb that easy smile. Biting her lip, she continued after Minako and Alexei.

Calcite and Azurite were lounging casually against the bar as they neared. They didn't speak, only waited. Alexei approached them confidently. His easy manner made it appear as if there was no reason in the world why he should be wary.

"Azriel, Cayla…how good to see you," he said pleasantly.

"Alexei," Cayla acknowledged, her voice just as cordial. Her golden eyes traveled over Minako and Jenny, but she gave no sign of recognition.

"It's been too long, I must say," Azriel said. He placed his empty glass of champagne on the bar and picked up a fresh one with his long, slim fingers.

"What are you doing here?" Alexei demanded, dropping all pretense. His eyes narrowed with contempt he could no longer contain. Rather than get upset, Azriel raised his perfectly-shaped dark eyebrows with mock surprise.

"Enjoying a party. Last time I checked that wasn't a crime." He took a long sip of his champagne, eyes fixed amiably on Alexei over the top of the glass.

"What are you trying to get at?" Alexei tried again.

"Get at?" Cayla feigned confusion. "Whatever do you mean, my dear?"

"That is quite a lovely lady with you," Azriel said, smiling at Minako. "I don't suppose you could spare me a dance?"

Alexei scowled, but Minako, after a slight hesitation, extended her hand towards him. She accepted him with a combination of challenge and curiosity rather than affection, but it quite nearly enraged Alexei.

Jenny placed a restraining hand on Alexei's arm when Azriel pulled Minako onto the dance floor. After Cayla wandered off with a smirk, Jenny said, "Leave them alone. He wants you to get upset. Don't give in to him."

Alexei took a deep breath and let it out slowly. His muscles released their tension, but he did not look happy. "I know. It's just not easy to see your dearest love go off with your dearest enemy."

"Then let's do some undercover work and keep an eye on them," Jenny offered, jerking her head towards the dance floor. Alexei took her hand with a smile of thanks. They wound their way through the dancing couples until they were in the middle of the ballroom, about ten feet away from Minako and Azriel. Alexei's eyes immediately fixed on Minako, but Jenny's mind wandered as she leaned against him. What was going on? She didn't believe it was coincidence that Calcite and Azurite had shown up at a party where she and all the senshi were in attendance. Surely they weren't stupid enough to act with so many witnesses around them?

Jenny waved to Usagi, who was dancing nearby with Mamoru. She jerked her head meaningfully towards Azriel and Minako. Usagi's eyes widened and she nodded once before whispering to Mamoru. She and Mamoru then danced over to Makoto and Kai, who were standing nearby and laughing together, and they repeated the message. Within minutes, all of the senshi were aware of the situation. Jenny started to relax. She could do no more.

"You're a wonderful dancer," Jenny said to Alexei as the song ended. He tore his eyes away from Minako long enough to smile at her.

"You're not half bad yourself. Now, let's find that crazy girl of mine and tear her away from that bastard."

But Minako didn't need rescuing. She extracted herself from Azriel easily and came towards them, smiling beautifully.

"How's your new boyfriend?" Alexei asked.

Minako rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. I was trying to get information out of him."

"And where were you planning on getting it? From his pants? You were certainly dancing close enough."

"It's not like I had much of a choice, Alex! I–" Minako started, annoyed. She was cut off when Alexei bent to give her a quick kiss on her lips. He smiled.

"I'm only teasing. I'm just glad you're okay. You had me worried there."

Minako's expression softened into a sly look of happiness. "Well, you know me," she said. Jenny wandered away to give them some privacy. She started to head towards Usagi, but a sudden hand on her shoulder made her jump. She spun around to come face to face with Max.

"Did I scare you?" he asked. "Sorry. I finally got away from some of my more obsequious guests. I need a break from inane conversation. Care to give me that dance you promised?"

Normally, nothing would have made Jenny happier. At that particular moment, she was less inclined. However, she couldn't think of a polite way to refuse him, so she forced a smile and nodded. Max took her hand and gave her a little spin before taking her into his arms. The band was doing a jazzy rendition of "Memory" from Cats, one of the few Andrew Lloyd Webber songs that Jenny could stand. She spent the first few minutes of the dance scanning the room worriedly for Azriel and Cayla. It then occurred to her that it had been a while since she spotted Nick, so she spent the rest of the song unsuccessfully looking for him.

Max may have sensed her distractedness, for when the song ended he pulled her more firmly into his arms for a hug. "I'm so glad you could come," he murmured against her hair. Jenny tried to smile, but her mind was filled with the memory of what had happened the last time Nick and Azriel had come into contact. The conspicuous absence of them both concerned her.

"May I cut in?" a voice asked warily. Jenny lifted her head in amazement to see Nick. Powerful relief flooded into her. She wasn't prepared for how comforted seeing him made her feel, far from the awkward encounter she had dreaded all afternoon. Nick, on the other hand, did not look remotely at ease. He clearly expected her to reject him, but other than that he looked unscathed. Azriel hadn't touched him.

Jenny didn't know why she gave her hand to Nick, but she did, almost as an unconscious reflex. Behind her, Max stepped away, as a silent as a shadow. On the platform, the band started playing Bach's "Air on a G String." Couples swarmed around them, entwined romantically as they danced, but Jenny and Nick didn't move. They just stood, eyes fixed on each other and hands clasped.

"They're here," Jenny said.

"I know." Nick smiled wryly. "I saw them leave about five minutes ago. I tried to follow them, but I lost them in the crowd outside the ballroom."

Jenny let out her breath in an angry huff. "You never learn, do you? That was idiotic."

"Hey, I'm here, aren't I? Clearly it's not me they're after this time." At that, his hand involuntarily squeezed hers. His expression drained completely of any humor.

"Listen, about what I said that morning…"

"Please, let's not," Jenny said, shaking her head. She shut her eyes and then managed a smile before she opened them again. "In the spirit of the New Year, let's just forgive and forget. Did you ask me to dance or not?"

Nick blinked at her. Slowly, he smiled. Before Jenny knew was happening, she was in his arms. It wasn't as terrible as she had imagined it to be. Truthfully, it was quite pleasant, even though it cost her way too much to admit that to herself. Jenny leaned directly against Nick's chest as he held her. They were swaying more than dancing, but it was peaceful. The beautiful music made Jenny feel strange. When she had spoken before about forgiveness, it had only been an attempt to avoid a painful memory. As Nick leaned his chin against the top of her head, she realized how much she meant it. She didn't want to fight with him. She needed things to be okay between them. Nothing in her life would be right unless they were on good terms.

Neither of them spoke as they danced. Jenny couldn't help remembering how she and Nick used to dance in his living room so many years ago. He had been a clumsy and impatient boy of nine then, and she a mischievous and wide-eyed six year old, yet when they danced together to Ace of Base and Gloria Estefan, they had been in perfect harmony. They had needed nothing in the world but each other.

But that was before he had rejected her. Jenny bit her lip at the more unpleasant memories that came forth. She felt an urge to pull away from him and run, but the warmth of his body against hers stopped that desire. He wasn't rejecting her now. He was more than ready to atone for what he had done: why couldn't she leave the past in the past?

When she glanced up, she found that Nick was looking down at her, his eyes boyishly wide. "What are you thinking about?" he asked in a hushed voice.

_You,_ Jenny almost said. She resigned herself to a shrug.

"Oh, nothing important." She bit her lip to fight back a grin. Oh, that was true.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing." Jenny quickly sobered. She looked back at him, intending it to be only a short, joking glance, but something she saw in his eyes captured her attention. She found that she couldn't look away. She didn't want to. Her heart was softening towards him. It was the uncertain way he looked at her, the way his arms wrapped around her protectively. He cared so much about keeping her safe. It didn't seem to matter that he would be useless in a real fight against Lord Ahriman. Jenny knew that she had put him through hell at times, and that he deserved better. He really did care about her. Part of her wished she never had to leave his arms again.

_Damn night magic,_ she thought with a twist of humor. She suddenly knew that it wouldn't matter if she left him now, fearing the possibility of falling in love with him. Deep down, she already was and had been for a long time. No matter what he'd said, no matter how much friction there'd been between them, she had always loved him. She, Jenny, not Bryn. It would kill her if anything happened to him because of her.

"Nick, I…" she started, not quite knowing what she was about to say. She never had the chance to finish, for Max approached and placed a light hand on her arm.

"Come. I want you to meet a few colleagues of mine," he said. Jenny realized with some embarrassment that the music must have stopped some time ago, for the band members had set already down their instruments and were lined up at the refreshment table. She hadn't noticed. All she had focused on was Nick. It was not a good sign.

"Sure," she said and pulled away from Nick. She shivered slightly, torn away from his warmth. Max placed an arm around her shoulders and started to steer her around, but Jenny resisted. Nick was stepping away from her, looking dazed. His eyes met hers, and for a long moment, they just stared. Not speaking, not moving, only looking and feeling. It was very strange.

"Coming?" Max prompted, and Jenny realized that his invitation was directed towards Nick.

"No." Nick shook his head, tearing his gaze from Jenny. "I was about to use the restroom."

_An outright lie,_ Jenny realized. Some of her dislike for Nick returned. She wished he didn't hate Max so much.

Max shrugged indifferently. "Suit yourself," he said in a bored tone and started pulling Jenny away. Without knowing why, Jenny looked back at Nick and found that he was staring after them with a little frown. When he saw her looking, however, he smiled reassuringly. Jenny felt a warmth in response. As he had promised, Nick turned and walked out of the ballroom.

Jenny watched him go in silence before turning back to Max. She felt confused. Mostly she wished she hadn't realized what lay underneath the surface of her feelings for Nick. She wanted nothing more than for life to be simple again. But what was simple anyway? How was this any stranger than anything else going on in her life?

Jenny sighed and followed Max, trying not to think of Nick or his smile.

0 0 0

Nick walked down the dark hallway, the wheels in his head turning at a furious pace. Part of him was coldly focused on the mission before him. The other half felt as if he had just woken from a dream. Jenny had danced with him without the slightest sign of revulsion. He hadn't thought it was possible, had given up on the hope of her ever looking at him again with anything less than loathing. For the five or six minutes they had been together, Nick had glimpsed an alternate future, the way things _should_ have been. It pained him to have that future thrust before him only to have it stolen away so quickly by the man he distrusted above all others.

Nothing and no one could have convinced Nick that Maximilian Gordon's interest in Jenny was normal. Jenny may not have noticed, but Nick knew. He saw the man's eyes follow her as if drawn to the only flickering light in a dark room. The looks were always fleeting and careful, but laced with such desire. Anyone looking on casually would have missed it, but not Nick. He had seen the way Max touched her, kept note of it. It was never more than a light brush on her hand or a casual arm around her waist, but the way he looked when he did it, the way his eyes shone…Nick didn't know quite what to make of it. Whether it was the base sexual interest of a man in a younger girl or something of a more sinister and deadly nature remained to be seen. Either way, Nick was determined to protect her from him.

That's why he was wandering the deserted corridors of Max's mansion when the man himself and all of his guests were in the ballroom getting ready for the countdown to midnight. What he needed was evidence, some hint that there was more to Max than his millions and surface good looks and nature. Nick didn't know precisely what he was looking for or what he would do when he found it. He only knew that he had to try. He had to prove that he wasn't crazy or consumed by jealousy as Mamoru thought.

Footsteps came from around the bend of the hallway. Nick froze in his path and then ducked through the nearest door to a small storage room of cleaning supplies. He started to shut the door, but then left it open a crack as he crouched in the shadows. The heat in the room was oppressive. Nick could feel himself starting to sweat as he waited, both from the temperature and the fear of getting caught.

The footsteps came closer. A figure passed by the doorway: Sera, with a large basket balanced on her hip. The sound of her high heels against the wooden floor continued for a few more seconds and then stopped abruptly. Nick held his breath, feeling the pressure of his blood throb in his temples. He expected to hear her turning back, but instead there was a kind of click and the grinding sound of sliding wood against wood. Sera's footsteps continued but in a different direction, perpendicular to the hallway.

Nick pressed a hand against his chest, feeling how much his heartbeat shook his ribcage. He listened for Sera's footsteps to die away before he cautiously rose and pushed the door open. He took a few careful steps out into the hallway and looked to the right. What once had been a bare expanse of hallway between the storage room and Max's office was now a gaping hole – a doorway. Flickering light leaked out from inside. Silently, Nick crept back into the storage room and stepped as far back into the shadows as he could. He waited.

A good five minutes passed before he could hear the sound of Sera's footsteps coming back out of the passage. She paused in the hallway and did something to the door to make it close and latch. When she passed in front of the storage room doorway again, her hands were empty.

Nick waited another couple minutes before cautiously heading towards the hallway. He listened at the doorway for anything other than silence. Satisfied that he was alone, he left the room and went to stand where the entrance to the hidden passage had been. On the surface, there were no signs that anything lay behind the bare wall. Nick lightly ran his hands over it. He could find no irregularities in the cream-colored paint or the handsome dark wood paneling that covered the lower half of the wall. As a last resort, Nick started pulling on the top of each wooden panel. The third he touched came cleanly away from the wall. There was a familiar click as part of the wall slid forward. He let out his breath with relief. Victory.

Nick cast a nervous look down the hallway where Sera had gone. He had to work fast. He slipped through the crack in the wall, and darkness closed around him. With a sudden panic, he imagined Sera coming back and, thinking she had forgotten to shut the door, closing it after him, trapping him forever in the secret room like in a dark, forgotten tomb. Cold sweat dripped down his neck. Not many people knew that Nick did not like dark, enclosed places. Jenny was one of the few who did. When they had played soccer as kids and Nick accidentally kicked the ball into Mrs. Greensbury's open cellar, he had sat down in the grass and started crying, thoughts of ghosts and skeletons reaching for him with their bony hands. Jenny had gone in after it without hesitation. Better yet, she had never mentioned it again. She knew him and loved him too well to make fun of his fears.

Nick reminded himself that he was doing it for Jenny now. The only way to get the answers he wanted was to push his apprehensions aside and go on. His mind flashed images of a documentary he had seen on the Roman catacombs, but he swallowed heavily and forced himself to keep walking. He had no reason to believe the passage led to anything but a regular room. A hidden, secret room, but still a room. Probably every eccentric millionaire had one.

A faint sliver of light shone from ahead. As Nick came closer, he realized that the bluish light, resembling the glow of a computer monitor in the dark, was low and coming out from beneath a door. He groped in the darkness for a doorknob. When his fingers closed over it, he turned, and the door swung open.

The first thing he noticed was a line of flickering candles placed around the contour of the room. On the shelves and in every corner were jars of colorful powders and dried herbs. In the center of the room standing on a tripod was a large copper pot with a blue flame burning in the center. The basket Sera had been carrying was lying on the ground next to the flame. It was filled with a kind of plant that looked like long grass. A combination of the grass and other herbs was being burned by the blue flame. The resulting scent was sweet and spicy. It made Nick sleepy. He reached out to steady himself against the nearby desk and shook his head vigorously to clear it.

Nick turned his attention to the desk. The surface of the desk was empty, but when he opened the top drawer he found several photo albums on top of a series of framed photographs. The first album he opened made him feel cold and sick. It was devoted to pictures of Jenny. There was Jenny sitting down and looking thoughtful, Jenny with a slight frown as she painted, Jenny with a playful arm around her employer. There was even one with Jenny and Nick standing together near the fireplace, except that whoever had taken the photo had done his best to cut Nick from the frame.

Nick could tell that the pictures were taken over a long period of time, for there were some photos of Jenny as a red-head as well as a silvery blonde. The worst part was that most of the photographs were unposed and natural, as if Jenny hadn't been aware that they were being taken. If nothing else, it at least proved that Mr. Gordon had been obsessed with her from the start.

Nick paused at a photo of Jenny and Usagi presumably walking home from school together. Jenny's mouth was open mid-laugh. She looked so happy. He reached out and touched the image lightly. He couldn't let anything happen to her.

Not wanting to see more, Nick placed the album aside and picked up the next one. The second album was different, a family photo album. It started out with the smiling faces of a young couple holding a baby. Formal photographs were mixed in with informal, but all of the images gave off the impression of wealth and class. Max's family, he assumed. Nick looked at a photograph of a dark-haired toddler playing on the beach with a shovel and a pail. He tried to imagine the little boy growing up to become his dark employer. He couldn't picture it.

As Nick continued to idly flip through the photo album, he began to realize that something was wrong. He noticed it around the time the mother abruptly disappeared from the photographs, when the boy was around ten years old. It continued as the boy began to age and became an average-looking teenager. The boy in the photographs had been slightly overweight with glasses and a surly expression that expensive clothes and fine scenery could not mask. He was not handsome, and as he continued to age into adulthood it became even more obvious. Heart pounding, Nick flipped to the back of the album. On the last page was a large photograph of the now man and his father standing on a yacht. Both men were balding but had cheerful smiles on their faces. Each had an arm around the other's shoulder as they lifted champagne glasses cheerfully to the camera. The man looked around twenty-eight, Max's age. He was not, however, Max Gordon.

Disconcerted, Nick took the rest of the albums out of the drawer and set them aside. He pulled out the framed photographs on the bottom of the drawer and examined them. One was the same photograph that had been at the back of the album. Nick immediately flipped it around with shaking fingers and removed the backing so he could take the photograph out from between the pressed glass. He looked once more at the relaxed and happy father and son in the photograph before flipping it around.

_Marcus Gordon and Maximilian Gordon, July 4_, someone had written on the back in a fancy scrawl. The date was for that year.

For a moment, Nick could hear nothing but the pounding of the blood in his head. His hands shook so violently he was afraid he would rip the picture. He dropped it and it sailed to the ground to land on his shoes. Father and son grinned up at him. The Gordons.

_If the man in the picture was Max Gordon, then who the hell had he and Jenny been working for the last four months?_

The combination of shock and the sickeningly sweet smell of the burning herbs made Nick dizzy. He took a few stumbling steps backwards until the back of his knees hit against something hard. When Nick swung around, the sight of two people sitting in chairs initially made him feel faint. It wasn't long before he realized that the people were mannequins and that one of them was female. For a horrible moment, he had imagined father and son Gordon were sitting there, death grins painted on their faces.

The truth was almost as bad. Someone had taken care with the mannequins to make them as realistic as possible. The male was wearing an expensive tuxedo, and the female was dressed in a forest green gown, much as Max's guests were wearing in the ballroom. The woman's hair was pinned back into a fashionable twist. Both mannequins were wearing black blindfolds over their eyes. As they sat silently in their chairs, the sweet smell of herbs burning in the blue flame wafted over them.

With a sickening wave of revulsion, Nick understood. The man who was posing as Maximilian Gordon was keeping his guests in the dark about his true identity through Sera's witchcraft. The mannequins representing Max's guests, and probably at different times everyone in his life, were being kept blind to the malevolence surrounding them. Nick knew of only one person who would go through such trouble in order to be close to Jenny. The spell had been good enough to fool even Kelly, who normally saw clearer in her mind than most people did through their eyes, and Kai and Alexei, who used to work for Lord Ahriman.

He had to warn them. Nick returned to the desk and hastily bent to pick up the photograph. He shoved it back in the drawer along with the photo albums. As he was shutting the top drawer, the drawer beneath it came slightly ajar. Nick started to head back into the passage, but then hesitated. He slid the drawer open, and what he saw confirmed his suspicions. Several wallets made of expensive brown leather lay open in the drawer. A quick perusal of the contents, the credit cards and IDs, confirmed to Nick that they had belonged to the real Gordons. The other item in the drawer was a gun.

Nick's hand hovered over the small pistol for several seconds before picking it up. He checked that it was loaded, and turned the safety on. He then slipped it into the pocket in the inside of his jacket. For the first time in his life, he felt grateful to his father for dragging him along to the firing ranges once a month since he had turned twelve. He felt the weight and the coolness of the pistol through his shirt on the inside of his jacket. It felt as inconspicuous as an elephant inside a boa constrictor, but he had the feeling he might need it before the night ended.

Once Nick slid the drawer shut, he bolted – away from the fire and herbs that made him dizzy, away from the Gordon memorabilia, away from the photographic shrine to Jenny. He was trembling when he burst out into the hallway. He could think of nothing but getting back to the ballroom. He hoped he wasn't too late.

0 0 0

The hour was nearing midnight, and Nick was nowhere in sight. Jenny couldn't help thinking that he was taking an awfully long bathroom break.

She walked around the perimeter of the dancing couples, fighting back a yawn. She had finally escaped Max and the fifty-some friends and employees he had introduced her to. Her cheeks hurt from all the smiling. She was ready to go home and crawl into bed, but the party was nowhere near ending. Brenna waved to her as she passed, encircled in the arms of a very handsome and wealthy-looking college student. Jenny smiled and winked at her. Everywhere, her friends were having a blast. Even shy Adiel and Hotaru had found a group of girls, daughters of Max's employees, and were standing near the appetizers giggling together.

Azriel and Cayla had reappeared shortly after Nick left the ballroom. They had kept to themselves mostly, dancing together and drinking in the corner. Since they were paying no attention to her or any of the senshi, Jenny tried to ignore them.

She was headed towards the refreshment table to sample some of the holiday punch when a hand clamped down on her shoulder. Jenny jerked with surprise and spun around. Nick stood behind her. She was about to scold him for giving her near heart failure when she noticed the look on his face. His expression frightened her more than the sudden appearance of his hand had. His face was pallid, like the pale mask of a phantom. His eyes darted nervously past her shoulders, focusing anywhere but on her. When she reached for his hand, she was surprised to discover how cold it was.

"Hey, what's wrong?" she asked softly. "Where have you been?"

"Nowhere. I'm fine," Nick said curtly. Jenny reached out to place a hand on his chest, but he jerked away from her. She pulled her arm back, alarmed and a little hurt. Nick was holding his body angled slightly away from her. His head was turned as he scanned the room. It made no sense for him to stop her only to act so distracted and skittish once he caught her attention.

"You're not fine," she said with tight lips. "What is it? Did you take something?"

"Take something? Are you serious?" Nick's eyes stopped their nervous darting to focus on her incredulously. Jenny shrugged.

"Well, I don't know what else…"

"We should go. We should leave. Now," Nick said suddenly.

It was Jenny's turn to stare at him with disbelief. "We can't leave. It's almost midnight."

Nick didn't respond. He was staring past her, holding himself very still. Jenny turned and followed his gaze. Cayla and Azriel were lounging against the far wall. They were not talking or even moving. They appeared to be waiting for something. Jenny turned back to Nick, but his gaze had shifted again. This time his eyes were narrowed as he looked across the room at Max, who was smiling politely and speaking with an elderly Japanese couple. Nick had the most curious combination of hound and hare on his face as he looked, both the hunter and the hunted. Cold suspicion leaked from him.

Jenny opened her mouth to question him, but she was cut off by the band leader standing up and announcing that the countdown to the New Year was about to begin. Couples stopped dancing and crowded to the center of the ballroom excitedly. Jenny grinned at Nick and abruptly started forward, ignoring his protests. She darted her way through the maze of people to make her way closer to the center. By the time Nick caught up with her and placed a restraining hand on her arm, the countdown had begun.

_Ten... nine... eight... seven..._

Nick looked more alert than he had all evening. "Jen, we have to leave," he insisted.

_six... five... four.._

"We can't leave now!" Jenny yelled over the noise of the crowd. She smiled to let him know how crazy the idea was.

_three... two..._

"Please, you don't even know. Something is going to happen!" Nick's eyes were wild with concern.

"Something _is_ happening!" Jenny said. "This is a party!"

_one... Happy New Year!!_

Jenny screamed the words along with everyone else. Nick stood in the middle of the celebration, looking pale as streamers, confetti, and noise makers polluted the air. The band started playing "Auld Lange Syne," and many of the couples in the room started kissing. Alexei bent Minako backwards into a passionate kiss. Makoto and Kai and Usagi and Mamoru followed suit. Brenna and her new college friend were making out...even Christine and the others were laughing and kissing one another on the cheek.

Caught by a sudden inspiration, Jenny turned to Nick. She didn't care if he was the only one near her; she was going to take advantage of the tradition. Something about him looked so pathetic and lost that she felt a tender protectiveness for him that broke down the usual barriers between them. Without giving herself time to reconsider, Jenny threw her arms around Nick's neck and kissed him quickly on the lips. She pulled away immediately, looking up innocently at him. She kept her arms around his neck as he stared down at her in amazement, his eyes starting to focus.

Jenny grinned. "Bet that woke you up."

Nick blinked at her. "We need to leave. Now."

"Oh, shut up," Jenny said disgustedly. She wanted to kick him. What, no "That was nice" or "Thank you"? He must really be in the twilight zone. Wasn't he the one who had claimed to be so in love with her? She was about to shove him away when he lifted a hand and brought it to her left cheek. He tilted her face up carefully.

"I won't let anyone hurt you," he promised.

Jenny frowned at him. "No one is going to hurt me. Nick, what…?"

She was cut off when he gently brought his lips down to meet hers. At first, it was only a soft kiss of comfort, but it quickly grew more intense. Jenny felt dizzy as the stars and the moon spun over her head in a frantic dance. She found herself clinging to him without pretense or shame. Was this it, the love that Usagi so often spoke of? How could something feel so wrong and so familiar at the same moment? She felt as if for the first time in eight years she had returned to her real life. Everything else, being apart from him, had only been a nightmare. Nothing else mattered or ever had. Not when they were together again.

"Come on, lovebirds, step aside. Sharing is a virtue, young man."

Nick broke away from Jenny, and she felt a chill against her lips as he did. Slowly, she opened her eyes. Nick's eyes were hard as he looked over her shoulder. She turned reluctantly to Max.

He winked at her. "Just a little luck for the New Year."

Jenny shrugged and moved towards him, having to shake off Nick's protective grasp as she did. Quickly, she lifted herself onto her tiptoes and lightly kissed Max on the cheek. She noted the lack of warmth and emotion compared with what she had experienced a moment ago.

Max smiled when she pulled away. His golden eyes glowed. "Thank you," he said. "Do you like my party?"

"Very much."

"You?" This time, the question was directed at Nick.

"Yes." Nick's voice was surprisingly cold. Jenny lifted her eyebrows at him impatiently. Couldn't he give it a rest? Maybe it was a jealousy thing he had against Max, but couldn't he see that the man was nothing more to her than her friend?

Max didn't seem to notice Nick's coolness. "Good. It will be over soon, I imagine. These colleagues of mine act and talk tough, but their bedtime was hours ago. I imagine your group will also be heading off soon."

"Actually, I think we'll stick around for a while," Nick said.

Jenny looked at him, surprised. Why, when he was so eager to leave only moments before?

Max's smile looked oddly stiff. "As you please," he said. He walked away.

"I'll see you later," Nick told Jenny. He also left.

Well!

Jenny felt grumpy after having been abandoned by two handsome men at once. She walked over to one of the empty tables, and sank down into a chair. She was still feeling warm and shaken from her encounter with Nick. The world was spinning in a frantic dance. She needed a cold shower, or at least a glass of ice water. Now that she was away from Nick, her head was clearer. She felt a little embarrassed at the intensity of her feelings for him. She had prided herself on having more sense than that. It had happened so quickly; she'd had no time to process what was happening to her. But why should she have to analyze it? After all, as Usagi often liked to remark, why fight fate? Whatever happened next, she couldn't go back to being completely cold to him.

Jenny sighed and looked up. The guests were indeed starting to filter out. The sparkling night magic was fading as Sleep imposed. Jenny herself was feeling extremely tired. She looked around the room to locate her friends. Brenna was standing off to the side looking disappointed as her college man walked out the door with a pretty girl on his arm. Rei, Haruka, Setsuna and Dalila were in a group laughing together. The others were scattered around the room, showing no signs of getting ready to leave.

Her eyes landed on Nick, Usagi, and Mamoru standing together. The looks on their faces, grim and serious, as they spoke made her frown. She longed to hear what they were saying. She hoped Nick wasn't starting new rumors about Max. Jenny started to rise to join them. She could only forgive him for so long if he was determined to be an ass.

Alyson and Ami were approaching, so Jenny lowered herself back into her chair. She let her troubled thoughts dissipate as she lapsed into amiable conversation with them. The next hour flew by. The ballroom was quickly emptying, and by 1:30 AM, no one was left but Jenny and her friends. Her eyelids felt heavy with sleep, but she was the only one among her friends it seemed to have touched. While Jenny leaned against her table, swaying with tiredness, they were all grouped together in the center of the ballroom, talking in hushed voices. Hoping they would take the hint, Jenny rose and wandered over to Max. He was standing alone and looking at her friends thoughtfully, but as soon as he saw her a smile blossomed across his features.

"Great party, Max," Jenny said.

"I'm glad you think so. I certainly tried. I suppose you're ready to go to bed?"

"About," Jenny said, looking over her shoulder meaningfully at her friends. They had ceased speaking and were now shooting glances at Jenny and Max. Max's eyes were fixed on them as well.

"I'm glad everyone is having such a good time," he said cheerfully, but Jenny thought there was an undertone to his voice. She looked him over more carefully, and noticed how tense he looked. His stance was that of a man ready to spring into action at any moment. What was going on?

"I guess that's my cue to round up the troops," Jenny said, watching him closely. Max didn't respond. He was staring at something behind her. Jenny turned and saw that some of her friends were coming closer. Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna, Dalila, and Lyyli. Their faces were perfectly blank.

"Ready to go?" Jenny asked and stifled a yawn.

She received no answer.

Her other friends also crept forward, their eyes hard and determined.

"What's up? What are you doing?" Jenny asked them in confusion. She looked at Max with an apology ready on her lips, but the expression on his face stopped her. A strange calculating look was in his eyes as he considered the group moving towards him. He took a step towards her, one arm slightly raised as if preparing to grasp her arm at any moment.

"Don't," Nick said loudly. He was pushing through the crowd to come to the front beside Usagi and Mamoru. Usagi and Mamoru both looked grim and cautious. They stopped moving about fifteen feet away from Jenny and Max.

"Nick," Jenny said warningly. She moved closer to Max and put a hand on his arm. She looked challengingly back at Nick, seeing how hard the line of his mouth had become.

"Jenny, come here," he said firmly.

"No," she said, shooting him a _what the hell?_ look.

"Jenny, get away from him," Usagi said quietly. Jenny looked at her with open-mouthed surprise. She had expected this behavior from Nick, but not Usagi.

Kai and Makoto also stepped up to the front of the line, holding hands tightly. "It's over, Lord Ahriman. We know your game," Kai said coldly.

Jenny felt the shock like a cold rush of electricity. She couldn't believe they were doing this. Her hand moved down Max's arm to take his hand. She looked at him, trying her best to smile and make light of it, but her trembling lips refused to comply.

"So sorry," she said quickly. "It's a… a role playing game. They're really into it."

"Jenny, please," Alyson said, her voice shaking slightly.

"No, it's not him!" Jenny cried. With one last plea, she found Kelly in the crowd. She looked at her desperately, willing her support, but Kelly was as sober as the rest of them. She was edging forward, her empty hands raised slightly in front of her as if approaching a dangerous criminal.

"My friends are really tired," Jenny tried again to Max, "They jump to conclusions. Don't worry, we're _leaving_."

She stressed the last word, but no one seemed to take the hint. Several of them actually crept forward a few steps.

"Get out of the way, Jenny," Nick said, his voice low and commanding.

"No. What are you doing? Why…?" Her last question was cut off with a startled cry, for Nick had pulled a shiny gun out of the inside of his jacket and was pointing it at Max. As a reflex, Jenny thrust herself in front of Max and spread out her arms.

"You are not going to hurt him!" she said desperately, her face bright with embarrassment and fear.

"Jenny, please step aside," a voice insisted, and Jenny saw a golden head pop out of Kelly's handbag.

"Surya," Jenny said in disbelief, her arms falling a bit. "What are you doing here?" A moment later, Luna and Artemis also jumped out of Usagi and Minako's bags.

"Listen to him," Artemis said. "That man is the enemy."

"No. I don't believe you. I _won't_ believe you." Jenny felt close to tears as she turned, meeting each pair of eyes urgently in a search for some sanity.

"Jenny, move," Nick pleaded. His hand holding the gun was shaking slightly. Jenny looked him defiantly in the eyes and took a step backwards closer to Max, spreading her arms even wider.

"Go ahead and shoot if you want," she dared. "I'm not leaving him."

For one long moment, the grand ballroom was filled with stunned silence. The next, Max's arms shot out and encircled Jenny's waist. She jerked with surprise and then gasped as she felt the cool, sharp edge of a knife against her throat. Blood pounded in her temples as she realized: Max was doing this. Max _was_ the enemy. Nick had been right all along!

"Yes, go ahead and shoot," Max said, his voice amused. "But know that before you do, I'll have cut this girl's throat into ribbons. I advise you to drop your gun, young man."


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen**

No man can lose what he never had.  
-Izaak Walton

Nick dropped the gun. The metal clattered against the wooden floor, and the sound echoed throughout the ballroom. The resulting silence was as thick as a gel. Jenny's friends were standing very still, not daring to make any sudden noise or movements. Usagi's tears were flowing freely, but she didn't make a sound. All Jenny could hear were her own pounding heartbeats. The arms that held her were as strong as granite, and the heart behind her just as cold. She carefully twisted her head back to look at Max. It hurt her to see just how cruel his eyes had become. They glittered with a clear triumph that showed he knew he had the upper hand, and he was loving it. She hardly recognized him.

"You snake. How could you?" Jenny's eyes were stinging, but she could not cry. Gone was the tender intimate look Max always shared with her when their eyes met. Gone was his warm smile with the slight teasing edge. He raised his eyebrows as he looked down at her coolly.

"Just playing the game, love. Nothing personal."

Jenny was too shocked to respond. She felt the pain of it as if he had knifed her in the chest. She wished she could be angry. She wanted to scream at him, yell at him, squirm and fight in his arms, but she could do nothing but stare. Everything she had thought she knew about him was a lie.

With his free hand, Max snapped his fingers. On the far side of the ballroom, the doors opened. Cayla, Azriel, and Sera strode into the room to stand behind their master. The first two were no surprise, but Jenny felt numb at the sight of Sera, sweet Sera, standing solemnly between them. Sera's eyes, as before, fixed immediately on Lyyli, but her face was void of any telling expression. Cayla and Azriel were smiling unpleasantly, each looking eager for the action to begin. As Max turned to acknowledge them, the silver blade of the dagger kissed more tightly against Jenny's throat. She shut her eyes, feeling the trembling deep within her.

"I hate you," she said passionately.

His muscles stiffened instantly. When Jenny looked up, she saw a curious flash in his eyes, something like regret, but it only lasted a second.

"Now that would be a true shame if I didn't know you were lying," was all he said. His arm tightened around her waist, but the pressure of the knife against her throat loosened slightly.

The others didn't see it. They only noticed how his arm pulled her more solidly against his chest and how Jenny sucked in a startled breath. Usagi stepped forward with a soft cry. Kelly and Makoto were both furiously cracking their knuckles with anxious expressions. Nick looked pale and helpless as he stood with empty hands.

"What are we waiting for?" Haruka demanded, looking around at the others as if the next move was obvious.

"For something to tip the scale in our favor. Right now it's loaded their way," said Kai sullenly. Across the room, Cayla and Azriel kept smiling.

"I don't know. Four against twenty. I'm kind of liking our odds," said Lyyli. She nodded at Haruka.

"No!" Usagi said shrilly. "We can't do anything. Not while he has her!"

"Do whatever you want. He's not going to hurt me," Jenny said dully.

Silence followed for a few nervous heartbeats, until Max said, "You sure about that, sweetheart? Be very careful before you say something you might regret."

"Jenny, watch it," Rei warned sharply.

Jenny ignored her. She tilted her head back up to look at Max. "You need me," she said matter-of-factly. "You can't afford to hurt me, even if you don't give a damn about me personally. I'm the whole reason you went through this charade. As far as I see it, _I'm_ the one holding the ace."

There was a pause, and then Max started laughing – bitterly. He removed the dagger from her throat and pushed her away so roughly that she was thrown to the floor. "Cheeky but correct. You know me well, little girl."

"I thought I did," Jenny said. She rubbed her elbows where she had fallen. Instantly, Kelly and Nick were beside her, helping her up. Jenny's legs wobbled like jelly. She wouldn't have been able to walk without their help guiding her back into the safe circle of the senshi. Like sentinels, they each took a place at her side: Nick with an arm around her waist and Kelly with a hard, protective hand on her shoulder. Behind her, the others crowded up close.

When some of the senshi, led by Haruka and Lyyli, started moving forward, Max held up a warning hand. "Careful. You may only see the four of us now, but believe me when I say that I have an army of hundreds waiting for my command. It'll only be seconds before they're here when I call them. Miss Usagi can surely attest to that from the time she spent with us last summer."

Haruka and Lyyli stopped moving. They looked around at Usagi uncertainly. Usagi's head was bowed. She was still crying, and she did not make any sign that she knew differently.

Max smiled coldly. "I'm sure we can settle this like reasonable people."

Seeing his lazy calm, his certainty, Jenny was able to get her voice back. Much as she wanted to be cool and brave, she was mostly hurt. "Why?" she demanded softly and then louder, "_Why_? Why wait so long? You could have taken me at any time! Why did you have to befriend me and make me think you were so wonderful?"

At the sound of her voice, Max turned. He didn't respond. His eyes fixed on Nick's fingers on her hip. His expression was curiously unreadable.

"What do you want from me?" Jenny tried again.

A smile fell upon his lips, unexpectedly genuine rather than haughty. "I want you to come with me to my world. That's all I have ever wanted. You said yourself that I won't hurt you. I won't force you either, but I am hoping you will consider. Will you come with me?"

Jenny was horrified at the suggestion. "No! How could you even think…after everything you've done…" She broke off and shook her head, disgusted. Nick took her hand and she gripped it tightly, leaning into his side. Just touching him helped her feel calmer and stand straighter. She looked at Max defiantly.

He smiled. He didn't look particularly perturbed by her decline. "That leaves us at an impasse, I'm afraid. In that case…" Max extended his arm and a great gust of wind blew around him. His hair was blown loose from his ponytail. After a flick of his hand the wind shot towards her. Jenny braced herself but then gasped sharply when she realized the wind was not directed at her but at Nick. It surrounded him, wrapping firmly around his waist and legs. She tried to hang onto him, but he easily slid through her frail grasp. Before she was given a moment to react, Nick was pulled across the room into Max's waiting arms.

Jenny flashed back to Halloween Night when it had been her caught in the gust and Nick holding her back. Only Nick was so much stronger than she…

"It was you that night at the club," Jenny said, her voice hard and disbelieving. "And at the airport, and in my dreams…you're Lord Ahriman." Of course she had known the moment he pressed the knife to her throat, but to have it really sink in now made her feel as if she was falling into a dark pit with no way out.

"Yes, charmed," he said sounding bored as he brought the knife to Nick's throat. "And so I'll ask you again, my dear. Will you come with me? Think your answer over carefully, for although I have a particular fondness for you, I have no reservations about killing this one."

Jenny looked at the seriousness in Max's eyes, at the nasty smiles of his followers, at the shock on Nick's face as the knife pressed painfully into his skin. Feeling an uneasy twist in her stomach, she bowed her head. "Yes, I know."

"Don't. Don't listen to him," Nick managed to choke out. He shut his eyes with a painful groan as Max moved the knife slightly and a small trickle of blood dripped down his throat. The sight of the red droplets staining his white shirt was too much for Jenny to handle. One quick movement was all it would take for Nick to be removed from her life permanently. She had no doubts that Max would readily do it. He was only holding off now because he needed Nick alive to persuade her.

"I'll go with you," Jenny said. Her eyes were stinging again. She started to take a step forward, but was held back by Kelly's iron grip.

"Don't you dare," Kelly said fiercely. She lifted her other hand to take a better hold of Jenny, but the instant she touched her an electric shock forced her hands back. In the surprised few seconds that followed, Jenny was able to dart away from her.

Max nodded at her respectfully. "I knew you'd do the right thing," he said. He pushed Nick away from him, where he landed on the floor as Jenny had, holding the cut on his neck. Wordlessly, with a faint smile upon his lips, Max extended a hand towards Jenny.

"No!" Usagi screamed. She started to rush forward, but Max waved his other hand. A shimmering barrier sprung up between Jenny and the senshi. They pounded desperately on the barrier but it was no use; they might as well have tried to pass through a brick wall.

Jenny looked back at them apologetically before turning to Max. His hand was still extended towards her as he waited. Jenny took another step forward. Her movements were jerky as she walked, caught between shaking and numbness. She couldn't meet Max's eyes as she closed the distance between them. She tried to force herself not to think about what she was doing. If she thought about it, she might run screaming from the room, abandoning her friends and every bit of self-respect she had. She ignored the pleading from her friends. They didn't understand. If she went with him now, he would leave them alone. He would spare Nick.

"Don't," Nick said as he sat up. One hand was still pressed to the cut on his neck. His words had the opposite effect of what he'd hoped. Reminded of why she was doing it, Jenny took the last few steps in a trot. She took Max's hand. A light started flowing from their clasped hands, a light that surrounded them and blurred their features. Jenny felt the most curious feeling of drifting apart as she floated in the light. From what seemed like a distance she could hear Nick calling her, but it was insignificant as she was pulled forward into the brightness. A deep roaring filled her ears as the light faded and her eyes were filled with darkness. The last thing she heard before she lost consciousness was Usagi's screaming and Mamoru shouting, "Nick, _no_!"

Jenny didn't have time to analyze it. She shut her eyes and knew no more.

0 0 0

Nick never knew how and when he came to consciousness. His memory was hazy, a jumble of thoughts and emotions swirling around in his head in an incoherent pattern. With all the confusion, the sense of unreality that surrounded him, there seemed to be no transition between waking and dreams. It was quite some time before he realized he was awake and even longer before was able to open his eyes and look around. All he could see was the thick grey mist that surrounded him. Slowly, Nick sat up. As he moved, a piercing pain drove into the top of his head like an ice pick. He winced and dropped his head slightly to massage it with his fingers. With his eyes closed, he tried to recall what had happened to him. When he remembered, Nick lifted his head with a start.

Jenny. They had been at Max's New Year's Eve party, and Max had been unveiled as the threat that haunted her. He had taken her. Trapped behind the barrier, the senshi had been helpless to do anything but watch. Nick remembered the feel of the polished wood floor under his fingers as he pressed his other hand to the cut on his throat, watching Max and Jenny fade into the light. In the few seconds that followed, he hadn't thought, only reacted. Just as the light grew intensely white, Nick had leapt to his feet and dove into it. His fingers had grasped wildly before him until he had caught a handful of silky fabric, part of Jenny's dress. He didn't remember anything after that. Somehow he had lost consciousness…and woken up where he was.

Wherever that was. Nick slowly pulled himself to his feet. He held out his arms for balance. The floor seemed to be swaying beneath him, or maybe that was just the pain in his head. Nick took a few stumbling steps forward before a crippling wave of dizziness hit. He dropped painfully to his knees. His stomach lurched, and out came three hours worth of appetizers and alcohol. Shaking, Nick lifted a hand to wipe his mouth. He then brought the hand to his forehead and wiped away beads of perspiration. He had half a mind to curl up into a ball, close his eyes, and fervently wish that he could wake up from the nightmare.

Who was he kidding? He wasn't a hero like Mamoru and the others. Even if by some remote chance, he had been spirited away to the same place as Jenny, he had no powers. He had no way to protect himself or her. There was absolutely nothing he could do to fight off Lord Ahriman if it came to that. He was useless.

Usagi, he reasoned, would tell him to stay where he was and wait for help. Mamoru would warn him not to try anything stupid or get himself hurt. Possibly only Kelly would laugh and tell him to go right ahead and pitch himself into the mist and the unknown. He'd always had the feeling that she didn't like him much.

And Jenny? What would she say? No doubt she would warn him to stay where he was as well. And she was right. Nick shut his eyes and conjured up an image of her, of her soft blue eyes wide and pleading with him to save himself. She rarely wanted him around even when peace was between them and no evil lurked in the shadows; she wouldn't want him to play the hero now.

Suddenly, the image in his mind changed. Lord Ahriman stood behind Jenny with a possessive hand on her shoulder. He smirked, his black eyes cutting a path through the air into Nick. Jenny didn't appear to notice as she stared ahead innocently, but the man behind her cast a shadow that consumed them both, shutting out all the light around her. Together, they faded away into darkness.

Nick's eyes flew open. Maybe there was nothing to do and nowhere to go. Maybe he couldn't save her. But he had to try.

He stood, and this time the pain was easier to bear. Hands raised in front of him to warn him of any upcoming obstructions in his path, Nick walked into the mist. He walked, having no idea of where he was headed or of how much time was passing. He became so used to the deadening silence even of his footsteps that the sound of a faint sob in the mist startled him into stopping in his tracks. His heart pounded as he listened. There it was: a light female voice, wrought with fear. The sobs continued, and then, ever so lightly, someone called his name.

"Jenny!" Nick called. He stopped and listened. His voice reverberated in the mist. For a moment there was nothing, and then with another half-sob he was answered.

"Nick? Where are you? It's so dark here. Help me!"

"I'm coming," he said obediently. He took another step forward and then spun in a slow circle, listening.

"Keep talking so I know where to find you!"

"Hurry! Nick, I'm so scared."

"I'm here," he said. He didn't mention that he was as scared, if not more, as she. His heart was running a race inside his chest, going faster than it had during any sport he had ever played. The only reason he wasn't shaking uncontrollably was because after hearing her voice he had a purpose again. He had to find her.

"Where are you?" he asked, stopping again to listen.

"Here!" was the light reply. It had come from close behind him. Relieved, Nick spun around – only for his movements to abruptly halt. Leaning against a marble Grecian pillar that sprung out of the ground near his feet and disappeared into the mist was Lord Ahriman.

"Good evening," said the man pleasantly. He was no longer Maximilian Gordon; he was transformed into the dark lord of the past. With his long black cloak, dark ornate clothes and staff he looked like royalty. Nick stared at him, dumbfounded. Lord Ahriman only smiled. When the man opened his mouth again, the voice that came from it was unmistakably Jenny's.

"Thanks for finding me, Nick." And then her sweet laughter.

Nick took a step backwards in horror.

"Oh, do pardon me, dear boy. Just a little joke. Even I need a good laugh now and then."

Nick couldn't wait for any more jokes on his behalf. "Where is she?" he demanded, sounding a lot cooler and braver than he felt. His skin was crawling with chills.

Lord Ahriman lifted his perfectly-shaped dark eyebrows. "Safe, of course. Certainly you don't think that I would harm her?"

"I wouldn't know." There were icicles in Nick's voice.

"You know very little."

"I will find her."

Lord Ahriman, supremely unconcerned, shrugged. "Yes, and you're doing such a fine job of it now. Bravo. What, though, do you think will happen if you do find her? I suppose you think you're going to sweep her up on your white stallion and ride off into the sunset – after slaying the dragon, of course." He bowed slightly, and smirked as deep laughter formed in his throat.

"You, her dashing white prince of fairy tales. Pathetic, really."

Nick swallowed, unsure of what to retort. Truthfully, he agreed.

"You know that you are nothing now, just as you were nothing in the past," Lord Ahriman continued, enjoying Nick's painful silence. "Nothing. Not nobility, just a simple Earth peasant. Worse, you were an outlaw. You didn't deserve her then, and you don't deserve her now. You really think she's going to fall for you when she has so much better, so much more _satisfying_, on the horizon?"

Nick stood very still, looking into Lord Ahriman's glittering, golden eyes. After a moment, he sighed and bent his head. "I don't deserve her," he agreed fervently. "You're right about that. But neither do you. She deserves the best there is, someone who cares for her more than himself. Who would be willing to sacrifice it all just to see her smile. That could never be you."

Dark fury leapt into the dark lord's eyes. For a moment, Nick thought Lord Ahriman was going to hit him – or worse – but just as abruptly, the look melted into a smile. "How's your head?" he asked, seemingly concerned. "You feeling any nausea? Confusion? I know the trip can be a bit much, and I wasn't going to expend any energy protecting the hitchhiker when I had infinitely more precious cargo. You see? I do care about her. And being the nice guy that I am, I'm going to give you a little R&R time to recover."

As Lord Ahriman smiled, his eyes boring into Nick's, the mist melted away until they were standing in a large cage like a jail cell. The eerie mist still surrounded the cage, but the inside was surprisingly comfortable. There was a large bed with purple sheets and big fluffy pillows, a table and chair set with a feast worthy of Thanksgiving dinner for nine, and even a television with a remote. Lord Ahriman patted Nick on the shoulder as an older brother might and picked up a small white bottle from the table sitting beside the cranberry jelly.

"Aspirin," he said "Might help."

Nick looked up at the bottle and then back at Lord Ahriman. "Why should you give a damn about my head?"

"Oh, it's simple," Lord Ahriman said, and his smile grew wider. "I have a very important reason for caring for your head and all of your health. I would never kill you. That would be too easy. Not that the actual killing of you wouldn't be satisfying some deep need I've had for thousands of years, not to mention a damn lot of fun. Killing you would be too quick, too uncreative. Instead, I so badly want to see you suffer. And where's the fun in that unless you're healthy and kicking during it?"

Nick swallowed deeply, his mind flashing images of the Iron Maiden, the stocks, boiling vats of oil. He had nothing to say in response.

He received a little bow for the man. "So I'll say farewell for now, my loathed guest. I have much pleasanter company to partake in."

With a cruel smile, Lord Ahriman turned and disappeared, leaving Nick shaking and staring after him into the fuzzy void.

0 0 0

There was a chill all around as Jenny slowly drifted back to consciousness. She rolled over and frowned, burrowing deeper into the pleasing warmth of the soft blankets that covered her. Surely it wasn't time to get up yet. She felt so comfortable, so at peace. For once, Usagi was not snoring in her bed across the room. The greatest temptation was to slip back into the solitude of slumber, but something was tugging at the back of her mind that wouldn't ease. Jenny wrinkled her forehead as she thought. What was it? She had been at Max's party, and then…

Jenny opened her eyes with a snap. The sight she saw immediately assuaged her fears. Although not in Usagi's pink and bunny-decorated room, the high canopy bed, rich wine red sheets, and expensive abstract paintings in gold frames on the walls told her that she was in a bedroom at Max's mansion. And thank God for that. She'd had the most horrible nightmare that Max had been the one who'd been stalking her. Ridiculous, it seemed now. She must have fallen asleep while waiting for her friends to finish partying, and Max had brought her upstairs to sleep.

Entirely satisfied, Jenny lifted a hand to brush a bothersome clump of hair off her forehead. She was a little confused when something stopped her arm from moving several inches from her face. Blinking with sleepy puzzlement, Jenny sat up. Her eyes focused on the slim metal chain that encircled her right wrist and shackled her to the bedpost. Cold surprise infiltrated her blood.

Oh, God. Oh, God, _no_.

It was real; she hadn't been dreaming. Jenny allowed herself a moment of hyperventilation before a wave of anger overtook her misery. Not only was it real, the bastard had actually chained her like a prisoner. She couldn't believe it. She tried tugging defiantly on the chain with no success. Frustrated, Jenny looked down, and her eyes focused on the ankh necklace dangling around her throat, Max's birthday present to her. She felt the familiar prickling on her eyeballs. How could he have done this to her? Had their friendship meant nothing to him? Had it been a lie since the beginning?

Jenny reached under her hair with her free hand and fumbled with the clasp of the necklace. When she managed to unhook it, she pulled the charm away from her neck and hurled it across the room. She wanted nothing to do with it.

"That was expensive, you know. Not that it was my money, but you should still have respect for fine craftsmanship."

He was standing beside her suddenly. Jenny felt the cool whispering of a breeze on her bare arm before she saw him. She was pleased that she did not jump at his voice. She turned to meet Max's burning, golden eyes. No…not Max. She had to change her way of thinking about him. The man she thought she knew, whom she had loved, did not exist. This was Lord Ahriman, the demon who had haunted her since the first moment she stepped onto Japanese soil. If she hardened herself against him now, it could only get easier to despise him.

"I just pretended to like it before," she told him. "It was the ugliest thing I ever saw. Now I have no reason to lie."

Lord Ahriman smiled, lifting his perfectly-shaped mouth upwards in a way that made the air around him shimmer with golden light. Despite her determination to hate him, Jenny was drawn to the aesthetic of it. Ironic, really, how she had always drawn and painted him more ethereal and beautiful than he as Max Gordon had ever appeared, and now here he was, in full flesh and intensity, surpassing anything she could have imagined. He looked too perfect to be real…it probably wasn't real. She had a feeling he was playing up what nature had given him with his power in an attempt to draw her to him. Artistically, at least, she couldn't say that it wasn't working.

"There's my girl," he said. "I was a little worried before with how you were reacting in the ballroom, but I suppose all you needed was a little rest. Did you enjoy your sleep?"

On the surface his tone was playful, but Jenny caught the mockery underneath. She lifted her head proudly. "Yes, actually."

Lord Ahriman laughed, a sound which she had always enjoyed and looked forward to, but now the rich baritone sound gave her chills. "Liar," he said, seeming amused. "But brave. You aren't afraid of me, little one?"

"No," Jenny said. Initially, she thought her answer was just false bravado, but as she looked at him more closely, she realized the truth. She wasn't afraid of him. Maybe it was because they _had_ been friends, at least on her end. Some small part of her still felt that she knew him more intimately than any other male she had ever known. Even now, after revealing what he truly was, her first instincts were to run to him and share her troubles. It was an unsettling thought.

"Good, because I want us to be friends. To prove that, I'd like you to ask me something. Anything. All I have to deliver is yours."

Jenny stared at him levelly for a few seconds. There was only one thing she wanted. "How about an explanation?"

Lord Ahriman smiled and sank to the bed beside her. "You are direct, but since you asked…I'm sure you've noticed that I'm not a human billionaire."

"I did gather that much. What do you want?"

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I told you before that I would never hurt you. Do you believe that? We are and still can be friends."

Jenny laughed dryly. "You call this friendly?" She lifted her wrist, displaying the silver chain that still bound her to the bed.

"A simple precaution, but you're right. It is no longer necessary. I couldn't have you wandering around on your own when I wasn't there to protect you. Although _I_ would never harm you, I cannot claim the same for any of my followers. I have given orders for them to leave you to me, but some of them are not the brightest of the Devil's creatures. They act on instinct, you understand, and a beautiful young girl stumbling into a mass of them might be too much for their control. Best stay in this room unless you're with me."

Lord Ahriman lifted his hand and sent a small bolt of black lightning at the chain. It cut through the metal, and the chain slipped away from her wrist to fall on the bedspread. Jenny rubbed her wrist and tested its movements by bending and twisting. Still working.

"Satisfied?" he asked, giving that eerie smile again.

"No." Jenny looked at him, wondering why she had never noticed the cruelness in that smile. It was blazing clear now, but before she had only seen the kindness of a benefactor. If only she'd had the intuition Nick possessed, maybe she wouldn't be in this mess!

"Still waiting on that explanation," she said.

"It's not so much about what I want, but what you _are_."

Jenny blinked. "Okay."

"Caught between the Light and the Dark," he continued, seeing her confusion. "I don't know how much those interfering warriors of the Light have explained to you, but you are vital to the final battle that is coming. You don't belong to them."

"I don't belong to you either."

"True, true…" Lord Ahriman turned his back and even though she couldn't see his face, she knew what he felt. One thing about his performance as Maximilian Gordon hadn't been false.

"I have never lied to you," he said quietly. "I do need you with me. You asked me why I bothered befriending you…well, I hadn't planned on it, to be honest. That day in the park I was going to take you, but I wanted to meet you first as a human. Something about you then, the passion you put into your drawings, your sweet innocence, reminded me of what I had loved about you so many years ago. So I decided to prolong the game. I would gain your trust and make you like me, so maybe when the time came to choose you would take my side. The longer it went on, the more I enjoyed having you with me. I had forgotten what it was like to see you every day, to be able to feel you. The more time I spent with you the less inclined I became to end it. A large part of me would have thrown away everything just to be able to spend a couple nights a week by your side."

Jenny was unaware that she had unconsciously taken his hand until he gently squeezed hers. Lord Ahriman turned back to her, and she was surprised to see that his eyes were shiny. "Don't you see, Jenny?" he asked anxiously. "We are supposed to be together. Nothing gets at me the way you do. I was able to fool myself about you for a long time, telling myself that it was nothing but fond memories of the past and my need for you to help me with my plans. But every day I spent with you it became clearer. I needed _you_. Never have any two people fit each other better than we. I knew I had to make you love me or nothing else mattered."

Until his last statement, Jenny been dangerously close to feeling sorry for him, but when she heard his words of conviction, she released his hand and leaned away from him. She shook her head. "You don't get it at all. Love is about giving more than anything. You can't take it and force people to love you back."

"Is that so? What do you know about love?"

Jenny opened her mouth, ready for a clever retort, but after a moment she shut it again. "Just please start over again, this time without the romance novel."

Surprisingly, he obeyed. Lord Ahriman told her the tale of how he came to be in the twenty-first century, and how only last spring he had been imprisoned in a mirror again by the "blasted warriors of the Light." He told her how his servant Sera had heard his cries in her dreams, and how she brought him back at the airport. He told her how he had assumed the identity of the youngest Gordon son, and how Sera had used her black magic to fool everyone who knew the family into thinking he was the legitimate Max. He didn't mention what he had done to take the real Gordons out of his way, but Jenny, with a sick feeling in her stomach, could guess.

"I had everything planned," he said. "Every last detail. Once I knew I had your complete trust, I was going to reveal myself to you, genuinely as I am. No lies, no surprise. Just me and what I'm offering. I had it all worked out. It wasn't supposed to turn out this way."

"No, I'm betting not. You've gained nothing but my hatred."

"Your hatred? Truly?" He sighed. "I don't know what I can do to make you understand. You think it's coincidence that you're here? That you learned Japanese and got accepted into the Tsukino household? Your whole life has been leading up to this moment. Live it."

Jenny, refusing to listen, turned her head.

Lord Ahriman smiled confidently. "You were brought here to _me_. Each of us has great power; power that would multiply if we used it together. Power enough to control galaxies. Power enough to control the entire universe if we wished it. You would like to rule the universe, Jenny?"

Jenny's heart was thumping, but she shook her head. "No. For once you have everything, what else is left to achieve? Life would have no meaning."

Lord Ahriman did not seem happy about where their conversation was headed. "You'll come to your senses. In the end, we will be together. What other option do you have? A life of mediocrity? With him? That scrawny boy means nothing. He does not have the kind of power you and I possess."

"But I love him," Jenny said, the word slipping out without her thinking about it. For the first time, she felt the heavy reality of the statement – like it or not, she did love Nick. They were bound together.

"_I_ love you," Ahriman told her in a low voice, a voice that chilled her.

Jenny hesitated, but when she started speaking it was with great conviction. "No, you don't. You can't. It's just power lust you feel. Lust for what I can give you. You don't know how to love anyone."

For a long moment, Lord Ahriman did not speak. Finally, he inclined his head politely and said, "If that's what you wish to believe. For now, please make yourself at home. Sera will be bringing you breakfast within the hour. The wardrobe to your left should be stocked to your satisfaction. Bathroom is the door at the far end of the room. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must attend to my other guest."

"Other guest?" Jenny asked distractedly. She looked suspiciously at the wardrobe, not trusting what he may have chosen as appropriate attire for her.

Lord Ahriman feigned surprise. "Oh, didn't I tell you about our stowaway? Silly me. What with you being here and all my kind attentions focused on you, it slipped my mind. But don't you worry your pretty head about it. I am making sure Nick has the best care, a real…personal touch of hospitality."

Jenny's lips had barely parted to mouth his name when Lord Ahriman swept out of the room. As he shut the door behind him, her heart and anxieties were already working overtime.

0 0 0

At that moment, Nick was pacing in his cage. Every few minutes he stopped and angrily shook a couple bars, not daring to hope that he would find a way out but trying anyway. Somewhere, beyond the mist, Jenny was receiving the personal attentions of Lord Ahriman. Thinking about what that might involve made his stomach lurch with nausea. It was one reason he had yet to touch the pile of food Lord Ahriman had left him; he didn't think he could keep any of it down, even assuming it hadn't been poisoned.

After his final shake, Nick collapsed back against the bed, one arm flung across his face. His entire body felt tense and alert with frustration and fear. He was not used to feeling so helpless. He did not like it. What he would give to possess even an ounce of the power that Mamoru or any of the senshi had…anything to help him not feel so useless, so completely human and vulnerable. As it was, he had nothing to do but sit and wait.

"Nick?" A cautious female voice came through the mist. Nick sat up, his heart racing. He felt a rush quite like that a certain substance, which he had tried as a senior and vowed never to try again, had given him, but this was infinitely more pleasant and hopeful. The crash was just intense as the girl stepped into view. It was Sera, not Jenny.

"Still my name," Nick said wearily. He leaned back against the bed and replaced his arm across his face.

There was a long pause. When Nick opened his eyes again, Sera was directly outside his cage, gripping the bars with both hands. The look on her face was more hesitant than he would have expected.

"How are you?" she said finally.

"Peachy. Can't you tell? This is every boy's dream, to be locked in a cage like a beast while the man he hates makes a play for his girl. Oh, I'm doing just fine."

"I'm sorry."

"I'm sure. You here doing his dirty work?"

"I'm here to say I'm sorry. I never thought it'd end up like this. You've always been so nice to me…" She trailed off, lowering her eyes to the ground. Nick was stunned to see that Sera was close to tears. He sat up, looking at her thoughtfully.

"Is that right? You tell Jenny that, too?"

Sera didn't speak. Her muscles were completely still. She didn't quite look him in the eyes. "I've never questioned my master's judgment before," she said slowly. "Not until he took you."

"I think 'took' is a bit generous. He didn't have much choice. I'm here because I'm an idiot."

"But he didn't have to keep you here. He could let you go," Sera said. Her knuckles were white as she gripped the steel bars.

Nick snorted. "Yeah, because Mercy is his middle name."

Sera took in a shivering breath, halfway between a gasp and a sob. One moment she was standing outside the cage gripping the bars…the next she was standing beside him. Nick jumped to his feet out of surprise. He instinctively took a few steps backwards, but Sera looked far from threatening. Her expression was that of a hurt puppy.

"What are you doing?" Nick demanded.

"I'm going to get you out of here," Sera said. She reached out to take hold of his arm, but Nick sidestepped her.

"Why the hell would you do that?"

Sera looked miserable. Something was twitching in her cheeks. Nick could see the conflict going on inside her. "Because I know what he's going to do to you. What he's capable of doing. It's different with Jenny. I know he never would hurt her. But you…I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you that I could prevent."

Nick stared at her. He had never felt particularly close to Sera. They were always polite, smiling and greeting each other whenever they came into contact at the Gordon mansion. Occasionally, he had even flirted with her, but only when he was sure Jenny was watching. Nothing had happened in his memory that could explain her tear-filled eyes directed at him pleadingly. At least on his side…

"I like you," Sera said. Her eyes lifted to meet his, and for a moment Nick was struck with the intense cerulean blue color she had, so unlike Jenny's soft pastel blue. Her swimming tears made her eyes look like an acid ocean. Nick felt himself still as he looked at her. Sera took a step closer, and this time Nick didn't retreat. He could feel her pain, her fear over betraying Lord Ahriman. But she did not back away. She was so close he was able to breathe in her scent, something floral and spicy. Intoxicating.

It was all Nick could do not to reach out and comfort her. Her hand was on his chest. Nick could feel the heat from her fingers through his shirt, making his heart race.

"I'm going to save you," Sera whispered.

Nick barely heard her. All he could hear was the dull roaring in his ears; all he could see was Sera's luminous eyes coming closer. Her scent floated around him like a cloud. He felt dizzy, strange, as if the line between dreams and reality had shifted. There was a powerful longing in his body to hold her, to touch her. She was so close he could feel the physical heat from her skin. He couldn't hold out any longer. His arms reached out, ready to pull her to him roughly, his lips burning to meet hers. As he did, he caught another whiff of her perfume, and something flashed in his memory. Instead of touching her, Nick stepped back as if he had been scorched. He backed away, breathing heavily. Cool air washed over him. He stared at Sera accusingly.

"What?" Sera asked. Fresh tears came into her eyes. She looked like a trembling flower petal. It was quite a show.

Nick laughed, shaking his head. He sat back on the bed. "Oh, you're good."

She was still blinking at him, looking hurt. "I don't under–"

"Come on, Sera. Is this the best he's got? Did he think he could make me forget her? Even with all that Voodoo shit you do? Yeah, I'm the one who found your secret room, remember? I recognize the scent. You're trying to work some mojo on me."

For a moment Sera only stood frozen. But then something cracked in her expression and she laughed. "Well, we had to try. It would make my master's job much easier if Jenny thought you didn't care about her."

Nick breathed in deeply, free from the scent that had filled him and made him momentarily lose his mind. Even though he was aware of it now, he was careful not to get within several feet of her. "You're okay letting him use you like this?" he asked.

"My body is my lord's to do with as he pleases," Sera said serenely. Something about the way she said it made Nick's insides tighten. He understood what she was really saying, and it sickened him.

"Besides," Sera continued, "maybe I'm not doing this only for him. Maybe I'm just looking for a way to liven up a dull afternoon. He doesn't need any of my help when it comes to her."

"What do you mean?"

Sera smirked and shook her head. Something in her expression was pitying. "You poor, pathetic boy. You really have no idea, do you?"

Part of Nick's mind was begging him to keep his mouth shut, but of course he couldn't do that. Feeling like the straight man for a punch line, Nick said, "Of what?"

Smiling, Sera walked over to his television set. She picked up the remote and pressed a button to turn on the TV. The screen filled with the image of Jenny with red hair sitting under a tree. She was drawing and chewing her lip with concentration, unaware that someone was behind her, watching her shrewdly. The look in Lord Ahriman's eyes, of calculation and longing, made Nick clench his fists. Jenny didn't seem to be aware of the danger. When "Max Gordon" finally settled himself against the other side of the tree and began speaking to her, Jenny's expression looked eager as he started examining her drawings.

The scene fast forwarded to when Max had saved Jenny from Snake-Eye – a creature, Nick now realized with anger, that the man had sent after her himself. At the end, Max cleverly ended up on top of her in the grass. Jenny's expression as she looked up at him was filled with wonder and gratitude. Her pupils were dilated, and her chest rose and fell with quick little breaths. Another figure moved into the screen and Nick saw himself, the shock and hurt on his face. He remembered how he had felt, finding her like that with a strange man. The feeling was incomparable to anything. He had sensed right away that something was amiss with her new friend, and the feeling only intensified when he found out in subsequent meetings how much Jenny liked him.

"Since the moment they met, Jenny has felt the connection between them," Sera said, providing unnecessary narration. Nick rolled his eyes. The movie continued with scenes of Max and Jenny at the mansion laughing together, drinking together, sitting very close. Always, Jenny looked at him with admiration. It was nothing new. Nick had noticed it himself all along, and it had managed to fill him with pain every time.

"I know all this," Nick said. "So what?" At one time, the movie would have had the power to make him feel true envy, but now it barely ruffled him. He had known since he danced with Jenny at the New Year's party that he wasn't alone in his feelings. It was enough to hope.

As if reading his mind, Sera said, "You think because you shared one little kiss at midnight that she's your girlfriend now? There's a difference between one moment of fun and many months of friendship turning into love." On the screen was Jenny looking like a true angel on Halloween night outside the Starfire club while Lord Ahriman in a cloak towered over her. The look in her eyes was fascination mixed with fear. The former was winning out as she voluntarily stepped toward him.

Nick looked away. "Yeah, she cared about him. I get that. But somehow I think this abduction thing might make her think twice about it. She's not…"

Something about the way Sera's eyes glittered made Nick pause. "Do you remember the night of her birthday? While you were standing outside the gates like a hero, something vastly more interesting was going on inside."

Slightly perturbed, Nick looked back at the screen. Jenny was standing in one of the bedrooms at the mansion in a long, silky pink nightgown. She was fingering the ankh necklace Lord Ahriman had given her for her birthday, looking down at it in her hands. The door opened behind her and Lord Ahriman entered. Jenny heard him but she did not turn. She lifted her head and spoke to him. Lord Ahriman came closer. Still not turning around, Jenny lifted up the necklace. Carefully, he took it from her and fastened it around her neck. Eyes burning a bright gold, he then bent his head and kissed the pale skin on the side of her throat.

Nick sat up sharply, his heart pounding. He gripped the sheets beneath him. Surely any moment Jenny was going to swing around and slap him. But it didn't happen. Rather than look shocked, Jenny smiled and shut her eyes, leaning back against him. A moment passed before she turned and flung her small arms around his neck, kissing him deeply. At first soft and sweet, their movements quickly became more frenzied. Soon, the two fell together onto the bed. Jenny's head rolled back and she shut her eyes with ecstasy as Lord Ahriman's lips continued down her throat and lower, easing her nightgown off her shoulders.

_No,_ Nick thought, turning away abruptly. His cheeks burned. Aloud, he said, "Turn it off!"

Sera lifted her eyebrows, but did nothing. When Nick looked back at the screen, it had mercifully moved on. Now Nick was bombarded with images of Jenny and Lord Ahriman dancing together, laughing, clinking champagne glasses…doing everything that lovers should. The things he saw in her expression now resonated clearer than ever before. Then, Nick had only seen naïve admiration for an undeserving older man. Now, the little touches, caresses, and lingering looks that had seemed so harmless before took on a deeper meaning. She looked like a girl in love.

And who was he? Simple old Nicholas Kestrel, fully human, fully without special powers or talent, just a boy from San Mantego whom Jenny had been quite verbal about hating for years. Who was he compared to someone who could give her everything?

"You are nothing, you see," Sera said plainly.

_I am nothing,_ Nick thought in despair.

The screen showed Jenny laughing, her eyes fixed on Lord Ahriman with adoration.

0 0 0

Jenny was pacing in her bedroom. She played incessantly with her hands. She passed by the table set up with food for the twenty-second time, but as before she didn't give it more than a passing glance. She couldn't eat now, not without knowing how Nick was doing and if he was receiving similar accommodations. The thought of what he might be suffering under an unforgiving Lord Ahriman made her insides wrench with anxiety. She wished she had kept her mouth shut earlier instead of blurting out that she loved Nick. Surely, it didn't help to add any fuel to Lord Ahriman's fire. He already hated Nick enough.

Jenny had no concept of how much time had passed since the party. It could be day or night, New Years Day or the next. She shivered slightly and wrapped her arms around herself, more for comfort than protection against a chill. She had changed into jeans and a sweatshirt from the wardrobe Lord Ahriman had provided. She couldn't help feeling grudgingly grateful for his attention to detail. Surely he knew how much she would hate being in a skimpy dress indefinitely. He knew her that well.

Thinking about him made Jenny nervous. He had seemed confident that he would persuade her to join him, but how? Jenny shut her eyes with a little moan. She wished Nick hadn't been stupid enough to get himself caught. By herself, she knew she could hold Lord Ahriman off, but she feared the things she might agree to do if Nick was threatened. Stupid, stupid boy.

Jenny looked at the door warily, as she had looked at it every few minutes since Lord Ahriman had disappeared. Every time before she had wrenched her eyes away, taking Lord Ahriman's warnings to heart, but this time her eyes lowered thoughtfully to the doorknob. Maybe he had only been trying to scare her by talking of the dangers of leaving the room. If it was really dangerous, if he really cared about keeping her in the room, he would have locked the door.

He hadn't. The knob turned easily under Jenny's testing fingers. She let the knob slide back into place and took a step back, her heart pounding unsteadily. The thought of stepping out into the unknown made her feel lightheaded. Jenny took a few calming breaths before looking again at the handle. This time when she placed her hand on it, she pulled the door open and cautiously poked her head outside.

There was nothing but a long dark hallway, dimly lit by torches evenly spaced on the walls. Jenny stepped out and shut the door behind her quietly. After looking carefully in each direction, she decided to go right. She didn't know exactly what she was doing, whether looking for Nick or a way out herself. She just knew that she couldn't stay in the room any longer, pacing and waiting for Lord Ahriman to return.

Jenny walked, listening carefully. She tried to make her footsteps as quiet as possible. The stone walls made her feel like she was in a passage in a cave. She expected to hear dripping water or the flapping of bat wings, but besides her own breathing and footsteps the hallway was quiet.

She saw a light pouring out into the hallway about forty feet ahead, an open doorway. Jenny paused and pressed a hand against the cold stone wall before continuing on. As she got closer, she heard the combination of eerie voices and raucous laughter. Lord Ahriman's creatures. The pounding of her heart, shaking her chest, was nearly debilitating. Surely they could hear it. Jenny stopped again five feet from the doorway, afraid to pass before it. As Lord Ahriman had told her, she knew that if they found her alone they would be quite willing to tear her to pieces.

But, Jenny realized as she willed her heart to calm, the moment she screamed Lord Ahriman would come to her. He would find her somehow and save her. He wouldn't let them touch her. With this certainty in mind, Jenny cautiously crept up to the doorway. She risked a glance inside and saw long wooden tables set up like in a mess hall. Some of the creatures were eating, quite disgustingly tearing apart pieces of meat with their teeth and hands. Others were lounging around the room in groups talking together and guffawing. Social hour in the monster den.

Taking a deep breath, Jenny leapt across the doorway to the other side. She paused once she was out of sight, listening hard, but there was no pause in the laughter or conversation. Shutting her eyes briefly with relief, Jenny continued on. Further down, Jenny came across a shut door with a sliver of golden light spilling out from the bottom. Somehow she knew that Lord Ahriman was inside. Jenny paused before the doorway and pressed a hand against it, listening. She heard his low murmur and then a giggle. Jenny blinked in surprise. She recognized Sera's laughter.

At least he was preoccupied. Jenny kept walking.

The next interesting thing she came across was an open doorway with grey mist drifting out of it, as if from a stage fog machine. After glancing down the hallway and seeing nothing but the endless row of burning torches, Jenny took a deep breath and plunged into the mist. The instant she stepped inside she couldn't see anything but endless swirling white and grey. Jenny swung around but the mist had closed around her, obscuring the doorway. She took a deep breath and decided to keep walking. Minutes passed before the mist tickled her nose and she sneezed.

"Come back for more, have you?" asked a male voice from ahead, bitterly.

Jenny recognized his voice as if it was her own. Heart leaping with joy and relief, she cried, "Nick!"

She was only answered by silence. Undeterred, Jenny pushed on, her arms held in front of her. Slowly the mist began to clear and Jenny was confronted with a cage like something that would be found at a zoo. Inside was Nick. Jenny took the last few steps at a run until she was gripping the bars of the cage, looking inside eagerly. The excitement seemed to be hers alone. Nick was lying on a bed, his head turned away from her. He didn't move.

"Nick, it's me," Jenny said, in case he hadn't recognized her before.

His head tilted her way at her voice, but only slightly. He still didn't look at her. Jenny's hands tightened around the bars anxiously, speculating on all the horrible things Lord Ahriman could have done to him in her absence. Why wasn't he looking at her? Was he hurt? He looked like a deflated balloon – as much as a person could like a balloon. He lay on the bed, still but breathing.

"Nick, why won't you look at me? What did he do to you?" Jenny demanded. Finally, she got some reaction. Nick turned his head. His eyes widened in surprise and he slowly sat up.

"Jenny. Is it really you?"

"Who else, idiot?" Jenny asked. The burst of happiness at seeing him alive and reasonably well was so much that she felt like she was filled with little bubbles. She might float away at any moment. She laughed, feeling high.

Nick shrugged and turned his head. "I thought…I don't know what I thought."

Jenny tilted her head and looked at him closely. It hurt her to see him acting so, without confidence, without strength. The more she looked at him the more she felt deflated herself. Obviously something had happened to him. Jenny sank to the ground to lean against the bars. Seeing her, Nick stood and came over to sit opposite her. His hand reached through the bars, and Jenny took it tightly.

"Why?" she demanded. "Why did you come here? This is all your fault, you moron! If you had stayed…" She trailed off, shaking her head. She held his hand so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

Nick smiled. A sad, tired smile dulled as dead leaves in winter. "Don't you know that I'd follow you to the ends of the earth if I could?" He paused and looked around with a wince. "Farther, too."

Jenny smiled then. "Except when you moved to the other end of the earth to get away from me," she reminded him.

Nick shrugged lightly. "Only because I thought it was best at the time. If you had given me a reason to stay, I would have. A lot of things have changed since then."

"Yes, they have." Jenny reached through the bars with her other hand and placed it on top of his holding her own. Nick's smile faded immediately. She was surprised when he gently detached his hand from hers and pulled away.

"Get out of here, Jenny," he said dejectedly. "Find a way to escape from him and go. Don't sit around waiting for me."

"No," she said simply. Nick sighed and nodded.

"You'd rather stay here? With him? I expected as much."

"What are you talking about?" Jenny asked. She frowned.

"Our friend, Max Gordon," Nick said, sarcasm finally entering his voice, making him seem more like his old self than the pale, spineless boy he had been the last few minutes. "Your lover."

"My…" Jenny broke off, mouth agape. She simply had no words.

"Yes, your lover," Nick repeated, his voice hard and cold. Bitterness spilled from him.

Jenny's lips twitched as if to smile but it didn't quite work. "What are you talking about? You know that's not how it is."

"Isn't it? I've seen the way you look at him. I know what you did. I saw it."

Well, that made one of them. Confused, Jenny shook her head. "I can't believe you're still jealous of him. After all this."

"Jealous? Not so much, sweetheart. If you want to take that…that _thing_, it's your business. Go ahead, love him, sleep with him. What should I care?"

Jenny stood up angrily and rather unsteadily. She glared at him. "I can't believe you have the nerve to accuse me like this. You think I would do that?"

"Not think. I know," Nick said. He wasn't looking at her again. He slumped against the bars as if he had no bones.

Jenny was so angry she was trembling. She took a step away from him. "I came here because I was _worried _about you. I risked being torn to pieces, and now you sit here like some pathetic Othello. You know what? I hope he _does_ do something awful to you! Because I don't care anymore."

Before he had a chance to respond, Jenny turned. She ran through the mist, her face frozen in anger, her body trembling with emotion. Along the way she started to cry. It wasn't fair for him to do this to her. For years they had missed each other for all the wrong reasons – anger, intolerance, stubborn refusal to accept what was there. It wasn't fair of him when there was every reason in the world for them to come together now to ruin it with his jealousy. How could he really believe she would do that with Lord Ahriman, or Max Gordon for that matter? True, she had sometimes fantasized about Max, but harmlessly, involving more picnicking and kissing under the stars than full-on pornography. If Nick had so little faith in her judgment, maybe it was wrong to think that they belonged together, to still want him.

Jenny was so distraught that she didn't notice the dark figure ahead of her in the mist until she ran straight into the arms of Lord Ahriman. Surprised, she tried to jump back, but he kept a strong grip on her elbows.

"Where are you going in such a hurry?" he asked smoothly.

Jenny looked up and saw him smile, wide and satisfied like a panther pleased at finally catching its prey.


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen**

I tell you naught for your comfort,  
Yea, naught for your desire,  
Save that the sky grows darker yet  
And the sea rises higher.  
-G.K Chesterton

Lord Ahriman's hands gripped Jenny's upper arms firmly but not painfully. It didn't take long for his smirk to vanish as he took in her expression. "What happened?" he demanded. "If he hurt you, I'll tear his balls off."

Jenny, for the moment, forgot who she was talking to and that he was probably serious. In her mind, he was her Max again, fiercely protective and indignant on her behalf. She shook her head, laughing shakily.

"Don't bother. He can't help being a jerk. It's ingrained."

"I asked you to stay in your room." His hawk eyes were intent as he looked down at her.

Jenny shrugged. She was beyond giving a damn about what happened to her. Lord Ahriman must have guessed this, because he didn't press the issue. He pulled her closer to him so that Jenny's head was resting directly against his chest. With a quick motion of his arms, he surrounded Jenny in his cloak. Before she was able to squeak in protest she felt an unnatural shifting of space, a jolt. When Lord Ahriman unfolded her from his arms they were in another room entirely. A sitting room with walls painted gold and Picasso and El Greco prints on the walls. The two artists made a strange combination, but Jenny knew it was for her benefit because they were her favorite. She felt unmoved by the compliment.

"Sit," Lord Ahriman said, gesturing towards a black leather sofa. Jenny sat. "Coffee? Wine?" he continued. Jenny didn't see how, but somehow he was holding a coffee pot in one hand and a bottle of red wine in the other. She shook her head.

"No? You don't mind if I do?" Pot and bottle vanished, and Lord Ahriman sat down beside her. He was holding a wine glass. The light shining against the glass made the wine a sparkling burgundy. Jenny stared at it morosely for a moment before meeting his eyes.

"What do you want from me?"

"Simply to have a chat. About you, me, your loyalties. There are some factors you need to be aware of before you make your final decision."

"Is that so?" At that moment, Jenny almost hated him. She wished she was home. She wished she had never learned Japanese. She wanted nothing more than to crawl into her mother's lap, eat popcorn, and watch TMC, as had been their Sunday afternoon tradition.

As if reading her thoughts, Lord Ahriman smiled. "You're not a child anymore. You have more responsibilities than most people could ever imagine. You hold the fates of many people in your pretty hands. All I want is to ensure that you use that power wisely."

Stubbornly, Jenny shook her head.

"Are you afraid of me? Do you think I'll hurt you?" Lord Ahriman asked softly. When Jenny just stared at him, he added, "Then what do you have to lose?"

True. He had promised he would never hurt her, and Jenny believed him. She had never doubted.

"Okay," she said suddenly, "have at it. Go on. Convince me. Tell me I have to join you and turn on all my friends. Prove to me that I secretly would love to maim and torture the innocent. Let's go."

Lord Ahriman put on a good show of looking aghast. "Main and torture? Is that what you think I do? No, quite the opposite. There will never be need for pain and suffering in the world again once you and I have it under our control. But that is out of the scope of this conversation. I simply wanted to show you this." He reached inside his dark cloak and pulled out a round hand mirror. The backing and the handle were made of gold. The surface of the mirror looked as alive as quicksilver. Something about it made Jenny's fingers itch to touch it, but Lord Ahriman pulled it to himself. He looked at his reflection pensively.

"Mirrors are very interesting if you know the way of them. They can reveal your surface reflection or deeper. They can measure your soul." Expressionless, Lord Ahriman turned the mirror around and handed it to Jenny. With eager fingers, she took it. She saw a glimpse of her own reflection, her skin very pale and eyes curious, before the surface of the mirror rippled like water. Her features blurred and disappeared until they were replaced by another image. The mirror became not a tool of reflection but a window into another place and time.

"It's my house. My kitchen," Jenny said, surprised. She saw the familiar faded yellow curtains on the windows, the table with the blue and white checkered tablecloth piled with too many bills. Flowers and cacti were lined up in pots on the windowsill above the sink where the Southern California sun shone through, bright and cheery. She looked at Lord Ahriman with confusion, but he silently gestured towards the mirror.

Jenny's mother was coming into the kitchen. She pulled out a chair at the table and sat, rifling through a pile of mail. She barely glanced at several envelopes as she tossed them onto the ever growing pile of bills. Several seconds later Jenny's older sister Kristen entered the kitchen. Kristen was a year and a half older than Jenny. She had been reasonably popular in her grade and was involved in student government and the National Honor Society. She had started college at Northwestern around the same time Jenny left for Japan. Designer sunglasses were perched on her head that she had bought from money she earned as a hostess at a local family restaurant in San Mantego. On weekends, she volunteered at a home for senior citizens.

Jenny and her sister had very little in common.

Kristen kissed her mother on the top of her head and sank into the chair beside her, swinging her purse off her shoulder. "Did we get our report cards, Mom?" she asked eagerly. Mrs. Thomas flipped back through several letters before pulling out a white envelope and handing it to her daughter. With an excited intake of breath, Kristen tore into the envelope. By the length of Kristen's bleached blonde hair, Jenny knew the scene was from the previous June, right after Kristen's final semester at San Mantego High.

"Last report card of your senior year, darling. Will I be proud?" Mrs. Thomas asked with a smile that showed she already knew the answer.

"Of course," Kristin said matter-of-factly. Jenny rolled her eyes. Sometimes, her sister's attitude grated at her. Kristin was damn near perfect at everything and knew it. Most of the time, she expended energy making sure everyone else knew it, too.

However, as the seconds passed, Kristen's smile drooped. She wasn't looking nearly so cocky. Jenny couldn't help the satisfied smile that crept onto her own lips. It was nice to see her squirm for once.

"I can't believe this!" Kristin said bitterly. "I hate Mr. Steiner! I knew he had it in for me."

"What happened?" Mrs. Thomas asked curiously. She peered over Kristin's shoulder at the piece of paper and her face fell. "Oh, honey…"

"He ruined my GPA. I hate him!"

"Honey, you can't blame your grades on anyone but yourself. Tell me what happened."

"Mom, I tried. I really did. AP Physics is just not my subject. I offered to do extra credit for him. I studied like crazy. You know I did. I guess there just wasn't enough time to bring my B+ up to an A."

Jenny's smile drooped. A B+? Kristin was getting so worked up over a B+? Jenny personally would have been thrilled with a B+ in any class, let alone science.

"Everything else is an A," Kristin said defensively. She eyed another white envelope lying on the table and picked it up. "Let's see what _Jenny_ got."

"No, I think you should wait and let your sister…"

It was too late. Kristin's red nails sliced into the envelope and she pulled out the letter inside. "B, C+, D, D, A, and C-," Kristin read with satisfaction. "Mom, my grades are _way_ better than hers."

"Your grades are always better than Jenny's," Mrs. Thomas reminded her patiently. "She just has different needs than you."

"Yeah, _special_ needs."

Jenny bristled at her sister's tone. What business was it of hers what grades she got?

Mrs. Thomas smiled as she looked over Kristin's shoulder. "She got an A this time. Good girl!"

"It's art, Mom. It's not exactly challenging. And the only B she has is in Japanese. That's the only real subject she cares about. Dipping a brush in paint and splattering it on paper is not a subject. I'm sorry, but it's not. She has no drive for anything real. She'll never get anywhere in the world."

"Oh, Kris…"

"You know it's true, Mom. Why do you baby her? That's the reason she has no ambition. You and Dad have always pushed me, but it's like Jenny has a free pass to do whatever she wants."

"I gave up on Jenny being valedictorian a long time ago, sweetie. It's not in her nature. She's an artist, and as long as that's what she cares about, that's what she's going to do. You, on the other hand, have a very bright future. I know you're going to make your father and I very proud."

Kristin's smile was self-satisfied. "And Jenny?"

Mrs. Thomas looked back at Jenny's report card. "I can't say I'm proud of her," she said quietly. "I'm very disappointed in her studies. I with she would…" She trailed off, shook her head, and set the paper down on the table.

"What would you like for dinner?" she asked Kristin with a sunny smile.

The image on the mirror dissolved. Jenny's eyes reappeared on the silver surface, unusually watery. She put the mirror down quickly. "She never told me," she said dazedly. "I always thought she _was_ proud of me. Just in a different way. She never discouraged me from my art. I thought she understood." She turned to Lord Ahriman accusingly. "How do I know this is real?"

He smiled. "I admit that I'm a liar. I have lied to many people, freely and gladly. But I would never lie to you. Not about something like this. What is it?"

The last sentence was spoken with genuine concern. Jenny was furiously rubbing her eyes, angry that tears were forming, angry at herself for not being the kind of daughter her parents could be proud of. "It's just…I'm the screw up. I always have been. Kristin is the genius. Beautiful and smart and popular. And my younger brothers and sister always get good reports from their teachers. It's not like I do it on purpose. Even if I try, something always goes wrong, so why bother? God, I'm such a statistic. The middle child who never does anything right."

Lord Ahriman shook his head firmly. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "You come to them from a distance of ten thousand years. Naturally, you would be different. You don't belong with them."

Normally, Jenny would have argued with him, but she was feeling abnormally cold. She didn't say anything.

"Besides, maybe there were other reasons you didn't flourish at that school in the desert. How are your grades now?"

Jenny thought about that. They were fine. Maybe not compared to Kristin or Ami, but they were much better than they had been at San Mantego High. For the first time in a long time, she was happy. That made everything easier, including studying.

"As toxic is the environment so is the person," Lord Ahriman said, once again seeming to read her mind effortlessly. Jenny's reflection on the mirror was blurring again. She lifted the mirror warily. This time, the image she saw was a deserted hallway in her old school. Her stomach twisted uneasily. Two girls were walking quickly down the hallway. Ella Kairos and Jessica Black, the inseparable leading duo of San Mantego High's popular crowd. Jenny was confused. Other than the occasional bitchy remarks, they had been mostly peripheral to Jenny's tormenting. Jenny had never mixed with them, and likewise, they had never mixed with Jenny. Why was Lord Ahriman showing them to her?

"I'll just be a moment," Jessica was saying, sounding harried. "I'm sure I left my phone in my locker. Then we can go."

"Whatever." Something was making Ella's mood sour. She examined her French manicured nails as Jessica paused beside a locker, dialed a combination, and yanked the door open. Jessica retrieved her phone, but her expression was still anxious as she looked at her friend.

"You won't believe what I heard," she said, looking eager to please.

"What?"

"About who Brian was hooking up with last summer." Jessica lifted her dark eyebrows meaningfully. This caught Ella's attention. She looked up curiously.

"Brian? My Brian?"

_Brian who_? Jenny thought before she realized. They were talking about Dirk. She had forgotten that Ella and Dirk were "together" on occasion. Her mouth twisted into a grimace. If Ella didn't know that there were very few souls in the school that Dirk hadn't messed around with, then she was dumber than she looked. Jenny gave Lord Ahriman an annoyed glance, not believing that she was being forced to watch the idiotic teenage soap opera of her former life.

Ella's lips curved into a smirk. "Who was it this time?"

"You will _never_ guess," Jessica continued. She was practically shivering with the excitement of being the one with the hot gossip.

Ella stared at her. "You planning on telling me sometime before I develop wrinkles?"

"Sorry." Jessica blushed, but she was still grinning. "None other than little miss innocent Jenny." The way she said "innocent" made it clear that she had other ideas. Jenny blinked. Surely they didn't mean _her_?

Ella snorted. "The chick with the bad dye jobs? Seriously? Hasn't she been gone all year?"

"Yeah, but I heard he and Jenny were getting it on all summer. I guess he wanted to give her a good memory before she went off to a land of much, ah…shorter men. The slut didn't need any lessons from him. They were quite hot together, I hear."

As hot as Jenny's cheeks were flaming at that moment?

"Well, Brian can make anything hot," Ella said. She tossed her sun-streaked brown hair over her shoulder. "I've got a date with him this weekend."

"Really?"

Jenny couldn't believe they were speaking about it so calmly. Dirk had been making up rumors about her! She took a slow, deep breath, telling herself that it didn't matter. She didn't care what they thought about her. It was a stupid rumor, and by the time she returned home for her senior year, nobody would care or remember. Really, Lord Ahriman was going to have to do much better if he wanted to upset her.

"What else did he say about her?" Ella asked.

"Actually, it wasn't Brian who told me. Although I hear he's not denying it. It was that girl. Her friend. Melissa something-or-other."

Jenny's face drained of all remaining color. No. She didn't believe it. Melissa would never do that to her. Not her best friend.

"Really?" Ella looked quite delighted with the news. "Well, she'd be in a position to know. But why was she telling you? What did she want?"

Jessica suddenly looked uncomfortable. "She wanted to come to your party this weekend."

Ella looked horrified. "You didn't invite her, did you? No. That girl can not come into my house. Are you kidding?"

"She said she had more to tell," Jessica said defensively.

Ella's scowl relaxed into a smirk. "Well, in that case…"

The picture faded away. Jenny tore the mirror from her vision before she could see her reflection. She couldn't bear to see the pain that was undoubtedly reflected in her eyes. She didn't care so much that Ella and Jessica were gossiping about her as the fact that it had been Melissa supplying the fuel. Jenny bit the insides of her cheeks until they bled trying to keep herself from crying. She didn't understand why Melissa would do that to her. Why? In a desperate attempt to become popular? Melissa had always said she didn't care about that, but now that Jenny was out of the picture maybe things were changing.

"Are you alright?" Lord Ahriman asked.

"What do you think?" Jenny snapped. "My parents wish I had never been born and my best friend sold me out for a _party_. How would you feel?"

Jenny lifted a hand to angrily brush stray hairs out of her eyes, but Lord Ahriman caught her trembling hand. He held it firmly in his, lightly caressing her palm. His expression was sympathetic but also dark with thoughts of his own. "How would I feel? I wouldn't know. I hardly knew my family. They were taken from me when I was very young. Your mother, Queen Serenity, and their glorious army of Light sealed them into a world of darkness. Away from me."

Jenny stared at him, her own concerns fading into the background. "I'm sorry," she said truthfully. He sounded so bitter, looked so alone. She scooted closer to him, holding his hand as tightly as he held hers. When she met his eyes, she saw how passionately they glowed.

"This is why we need each other," Lord Ahriman said. "Everyone we could have loved has either betrayed us, left, or been taken away. You're all I have, Jenny. No one understands you as I do. No one could ever love you as much." His head was bending slightly, tilting towards hers. It took Jenny a few seconds to understand what he was doing. When she did, she released his hand as if it had burned her and scooted back to a safe distance.

"That's not true," she said unsteadily. "Maybe you're right about the people in San Mantego, but I don't care about them. I have friends here who do love me. They'd die to save me, and they hate you."

Lord Ahriman looked at her sadly. "Do _you_ hate me?"

Jenny looked away. She didn't dare answer him.

"Anyway, are you sure that they care about you so much?" he asked, his familiar mocking smile returning. A chill filled Jenny's chest.

"Yes," she said, but her voice trembled.

"Would you like to see?"

"No."

"Oh, why not? You said it yourself. If you're right, you have nothing to fear." Lord Ahriman's eyes glittered as he looked at her. Jenny returned the gaze for a nervous moment before swallowing and lifting the mirror.

"Show your worst," she dared.

As Jenny's reflection exploded in waves for a third time, Lord Ahriman said, "All of them care about you enough to die for you? That's quite a strong assertion. It's only been a few months, has it not?"

"I know my place. I belong with them."

"Do you?"

The surface of the mirror shimmered and flashed. Jenny saw Lyyli's crisp blue hair and Dalila's serene dark beauty. They were in a restaurant somewhere in Tokyo slurping noodles. "She's not my idea of a golden princess," Lyyli was saying. "Have you seen the way she dresses?"

Dalila shook her head with a smile. "Since when have you been a Versace queen?"

Lyyli ignored her. "And the music she listens to! It's like she doesn't think it counts unless some guy is screaming. She uncoordinated, self-conscious, rude to Nick. Her whole mannerism is so un-princess-like! You know what, I bet Alyson is the real princess. Mako told me that Minako posed as the Moon Princess for a while a few years back to protect Usagi's identity. Seriously, can you picture Jenny as our glorious leader? It's a joke."

Dalila was laughing. "You're right. It must be Alyson."

"Or somebody else. Anyone but Jenny. Hell, I'd believe it was Adiel before her."

The two laughed together.

Jenny looked at Lord Ahriman a little indignantly as the picture faded. "Why should I care that Dalila and Lyyli think I'm a slob and hate my music? Besides, they're right. This is so not my role. Alyson is more…regal than me. I've been saying it all along."

"But I could never mistake you." Lord Ahriman's golden eyes were fixed on her admiringly.

Jenny looked back at the mirror and shrugged. "It doesn't matter. I could never hate them, or stop believing in them." But she didn't feel as sure as she sounded. She shivered slightly. Did Dalila and the others really like her, or did they only support her because she was destined to be their leader?

"I suppose you're right. The seven of them will fight with you no matter what. But how do you think they really feel about you? How do any of your new friends? Would you like to find out?"

Jenny knew that she didn't have a choice. This time, Lord Ahriman chose to narrate the images instead of letting her listen. "They think they're better than you," he told her in a low voice as the mirror flashed images of her friends, from Setsuna and Hotaru to Christine and Adiel. Jenny swallowed heavily as she watched them all, laughing together, connected by invisible bonds of friendship and strength.

"They're wrong," Lord Ahriman continued. She could feel him watching her. "They think they have the power and that you are nothing. They treat you like a frail baby robin with no defenses of your own. They escort you everywhere. They have no confidence in you."

"Yes," Jenny whispered. She watched images of her friends following her wherever she went. For protection, they always claimed, but she had never wanted or asked for their protection.

"You could show them," Lord Ahriman continued casually. "You could prove to them that you're stronger than they think, stronger than any of them. You won't be a joke anymore."

"I'm not a joke to them now," Jenny said crossly, even as she heard the sound of Lyyli and Dalila's laughter floating in her mind. In the mirror, she saw herself leaning against the wall and drawing contently in Alyson's bedroom at her host family's home. Alyson and Brenna were huddled together several feet away and giggling. Occasionally, they looked over at Jenny, whispered to each other, and burst out laughing again. Jenny felt sick as she remembered that day. She had asked them what was so funny, but they'd only shaken their heads and laughed harder.

Laughing at her. Why? Did everyone think of her as a joke as Lord Ahriman claimed? She could show them…

_No! He wants you to turn against them, _a voice in her mind reminded her. Jenny bit her lip, not knowing what to believe.

Lord Ahriman picked up on her inner struggle. He looked perfectly sympathetic as he said, "Do you think any of them want to be in the position they're in because of you? They'd all be happier if you and the problems that came with you disappeared. They think of you as a burden."

"No. Kelly said…" Jenny trailed off. Kelly had said she'd protect her always, but she never once said that she _wanted_ to. She could have only been sucking up to the girl who would someday have great power. Jenny shut her eyes. Why was Lord Ahriman doing this to her, twisting her thoughts, trying to make her doubt everyone she loved?

He wasn't finished. "Furthermore, the Japan senshi. How much do you think they care for you? Their number one priority is the Moon Princess. You're only second best…if that. I doubt they'd risk the safety of their group for you. They're a close knit family. There is no room for you in it."

"I know that," Jenny said heavily. She'd never seen a group with more intimacy than theirs. They had problems like all friends, but they were fiercely loyal to one another and Usagi.

Jenny's heartbeat quickened. Of course. "Usagi would fight to save me," she said confidently, looking Lord Ahriman right in his golden eyes.

"Would she?"

"Yes. Usagi is my sister. My _true_ sister. She loves me."

"Maybe, as one would love a dear pet, a stuffed animal. She thinks she's much higher class than you."

"That's not true!"

"We shall see," Lord Ahriman said patiently. He gestured again at the mirror. Feeling sick, Jenny looked down at the silvery surface. A gleam of light passed over her reflection. She was presented with images of Usagi smiling and laughing with her friends, snuggling with Mamoru in a chair, looking beautiful and powerful as Sailormoon. The mirror flowed easily through a montage of scenes, showing Usagi always happy and protected by her circle of friends.

Abruptly, her smiles disappeared. It was easy to see why. Jenny had come into the picture. Usagi now spent her time glaring at Jenny through the darkness as she lay in bed, and shooting her nasty looks over the dinner table. The mirror proceeded to show a few of Jenny and Usagi's many verbal feuds during the early part of her stay in Japan. Usagi's voice was suddenly heard with the images, proclaiming that Jenny was a nuisance, that she was evil, that she had been sent to Japan with the sole mission of destroying her life. As a final peak of hatred, Usagi's face darkened as she yelled to Luna, "I hate her! I wish she never came at all!" Her voice echoed through the silence in the room as the picture faded.

Jenny was left staring at her reflection. She knew the scene was probably from the beginning of her stay, but the words still stung. How could she be sure Usagi's feelings had ever changed? Maybe Usagi resented her for showing up and disturbing her peaceful life, bringing danger for her friends and boyfriend.

Jenny was more aware of Lord Ahriman's eyes on her than ever. She flushed slightly but refused to look at him. "Well?" he said.

"Well what?" Jenny asked sharply. She suppressed an urge to throw the mirror to the floor, shattering its power. She despised it. She despised herself.

"What reason do you have to stay loyal to a girl who feels that way about you? She'd just as soon turn on you as me. Why not beat her to it and steal her chances before she can take yours?"

Jenny couldn't answer. Her thoughts were betraying her feelings, and the struggle was not pleasant.

"You have the power within you to do great things, and yet you do not change." Lord Ahriman took her hand again and touched the ring Surya had given her with his forefinger. The red of the firestone gem set in the intricate silver design glittered intensely in the light. "Who is there left to stay loyal to?" he asked softly.

"Someone," Jenny whispered. There had to be.

"Who? Nick?" Lord Ahriman couldn't pronounce the name without sneering. "You think he wants you even a little?" At the name, Jenny felt a jolt. The reminder of him was painful. She couldn't deal with thoughts of Nick on top of everything else.

There was hatred in Lord Ahriman's voice as he said, "He means nothing. He's a simple human with no powers."

"Unlike you, right?" Jenny said dryly.

Lord Ahriman smiled modestly. "Take a look," he urged, pointing to the mirror. "Let's find out how much your boyfriend really appreciates you."

Jenny felt an icy hand grip her heart as she lifted the mirror before her eyes. What unfolded next was the story of her life. So much of her life had been wrapped up with Nick's that it was as if they were dark shadows of each other. Jenny saw herself as a rosy-cheeked infant lying in her crib, gazing up adoringly at the two-year-old Nick who looked back with wide, childish eyes as he smeared snot away from his runny nose with his fist. Jenny and Nick's mothers had gone to college together. They were best friends, had been maids of honor at each other's weddings, and lived next door to each other. They had been amused with toddler Nick's fascination with his new neighbor. He had never shown any interest in Kristin who was only nine months his junior. They saw the way their children responded to each other and they were delighted. They encouraged it.

Years rolled by, and what started out as curious interest became a real friendship. Jenny couldn't help smiling seeing her younger self and Nick together, always on the go, getting into as many adventures as they could create. Always, it was the two of them. No one else held any interest for either of them. Jenny couldn't get along with other girls her age. When her mother set up play dates with the girls in her class, she didn't care about playing dolls or dress up. All she had wanted was for the time to pass quickly so that she could go home and see Nick. Likewise, Nick was unenthusiastic about the many sports his retired career Marine father signed him up for. He had talent on the soccer field and in the baseball diamond. He had the longest punt of anyone his age. He was constantly being invited to other boys' houses to play video games or build forts, but he wasn't interested. He only wanted to be with Jenny.

By the ages of eight and eleven, neither of them had any other friends. But she and Nick were both growing, changing. When Nick entered sixth grade, Jenny began seeing him less and less. When she called his house, he was always studying. When she skipped over to his front door, eyes bright with a new scheme, he was always at an after-school activity. Jenny began to fear seeing his father open the door. His voice was harsh when he told Jenny repeatedly that Nick had bigger things to worry about than hanging out with a little girl. More responsibilities, other friends. He told her she needed to find friends her own age.

Third-grade Jenny couldn't accept that. She refused to. In her mind, it was inconceivable that Nick would rather be with someone else. So she watched. And she waited. One day, her wait was rewarded. She saw Nick out in his front yard throwing a football with three older boys. The sun beat down on him, making his hair shine with tiny beads of sweat. She remembered how happy he looked. She remembered the rush of joy she felt at seeing him. Jenny didn't think. She ran down the stairs and went outside to join them. She lifted her arms, demanding in her selfish, eight-year old way that Nick throw the football to her.

The other boys laughed. How could they not? But Jenny didn't care. She rushed at Nick, tried to tackle him. He shoved her away lightly as he might an insistent cat trying to climb on him. Jenny took his hand. She tugged, trying to get him to come back to her house with her. She wanted to show him new drawings she'd done. The other boys were nearly rolling on the ground by this point. They laughed at Nick, teased him about his "little girlfriend." As the minutes passed, Nick said nothing. His face got redder and redder at the jeers of the other boys. Jenny tugged and tugged, but he was as unmovable as a telephone pole.

It wasn't until one of the other boys took Jenny's hand and told her that he'd go look at her drawings – he had something to show her too – that Nick snapped. He threw the football on the ground and yelled at Jenny, telling her to go home and leave him alone. He yelled until Jenny burst into tears and ran back into the house, the laughter of Nick's new friends following her every step.

That laughter rang in her ears again. Jenny blinked and shook her head until the sound disappeared, leaving only the pounding sound of her heart beating through her temples.

"He betrayed you," Lord Ahriman said softly near her ear.

"He was eleven years old," Jenny said somewhat snappishly. "And I was being ridiculous. I didn't get it then, but I do now. It was unhealthy for his only friend to be a girl three years younger. He needed to make friends his own age, and if the only way to do that was to tell me off, then I'm glad to oblige." As she spoke, Jenny was aware of how bitter she sounded. Knowing and feeling were two very different things.

"But he didn't apologize or try to explain, did he? In fact, when you tried to talk to him, he made you feel worse."

Jenny sucked in her breath as the scene changed. There she was only a week later sneaking away from her school during recess and walking four blocks to Nick's middle school. Jenny felt the heat of embarrassment on her face as she saw herself enter the school and head directly to the cafeteria where Nick was having lunch with a large group of his friends. The same boys he had been playing football with were there, as well as a pretty girl on his left, her lips shiny with pink lipgloss. This didn't seem to bother Jenny. She walked right up to him and tugged on his shoulder, asking him to step out into the hallway with her. She wanted to talk to him.

The future Jenny's stomach was in knots as she watched the scene. As before, his friends burst into laughter. One pounded on the table with his head down. Another snorted milk out of his nose. The girl stared at Jenny with a combination of amusement, disbelief, and pity. And Nick…that was the worst of it. After enduring the laughter of his friends for a minute, urging Jenny to go back to her school, something changed in his expression. He looked at her as if she was a stranger, as if she meant nothing to him. Not only did he join in the laughter, he provoked it. He told her mean things. He called her names. The scene attracted the attention of more students. Soon the nearby tables were also giggling, yelling comments that Jenny was grateful she hadn't understood back then.

Jenny had fled, more confused than ever, but she hadn't given up. She persisted in trying to make him talk to her, trying to find ways to win him back. Seeing it now, Jenny was humiliated. Why hadn't she given up? Why did she have to have so much damned faith in him? Maybe if she had seen that her efforts were useless, she could have spared herself a multitude of grief in the following years. Because the more Jenny tried the worse it got. She became a running joke among his friends.

The semester had almost ended when Jenny realized she could never win Nick back. But by then it was too late. It was open season on naïve little blonds in San Mantego. Jenny became a walking target. Tormenting her became a favorite game, a way to pass the time in a one Starbucks town. Not only Nick's friends did it, but other kids as well as the news spread of the freaky third grader who was obsessed with Nick. The older kids encouraged their younger siblings to make Jenny's life a living hell when they couldn't do it themselves. The younger brother of Nick's new best friend Dane, Brian Dirkson, became one of Jenny's worst tormenters.

She blamed Nick. All the love and adoration she had once felt for him became twisted. By the time she was ten she was convinced she hated him. It was all his fault. He had ended their friendship. He had turned her away. Worse, when the other kids in town had started bullying her, he hadn't done a damn thing to stop them. He could have protected her, but he just looked the other way. He was busy with his own life, climbing the social ladder as his athletic ability and growing personal charms made him one of the most popular students. Jenny, on the other hand, was always a little bit different. Awkward, her head in the clouds, she wouldn't have fit in even if the fallout with Nick had never happened. Nobody wanted to make friends with her long after she stopped trying.

Years passed on the mirror within seconds. Jenny saw herself growing taller, prettier, stronger. Her youthful innocence faded as she hardened. By middle school, when the other students teased her, she screamed right back at them. They no longer had the ability to hurt her. Only one person did, and she hadn't spoken to him in years.

The summer before high school started, Jenny shaved her head. When her hair grew back, she started dying it different colors. It humiliated Kristen, who tried as hard as she could to pretend that she and Jenny weren't related. Jenny didn't care. She cared only about being as tough and aloof as she could. She dreaded being in the same school as Nick again. In some ways, her freshman year was her worst yet. Jenny had learned to live with the taunting of her classmates. What she wasn't prepared for was Nick: being around him again, seeing him every day. Jenny quickly learned his class schedule and worked out ways to avoid him, but there were still occasional encounters in the hallways. Whenever it happened, Jenny would flush and duck her head, walking by him as quickly as possible. She dreaded meeting his eyes.

Thankfully, he didn't acknowledge her at the beginning, but as the weeks passed, Jenny had noticed his eyes lingering on her more and more. There was pity in his expression and regret. Unlike the early days when Nick had been the ringleader among his friends, he never joined in when the others teased her. Occasionally, he dropped a few words in her defense, telling his friends she wasn't worth the trouble. Jenny remembered how furious this had made her rather than thankful. She didn't want anything from him, especially his pity or protection. She hated him worse than ever, seeing how adored he was by his friends. She felt sick seeing a different girl on his arm every month.

"He's a dick," Lord Ahriman said suddenly. Jenny turned to him with a surprised laugh. To hear such a comment from him was hilarious. He was usually so dignified.

"Yes. Nick is a dick," Jenny said pleasantly. She smiled down at the mirror, which was showing herself as a freshman yelling at Nick and physically shoving him for daring to interfere and chase away a group of girls who were bullying her outside the gym. He never stopped trying to help. As the year drew to a close, he became all the more adamant about getting the other students to leave Jenny alone. It worked to some degree, at least among his friends. At least when he wasn't watching. For the others it didn't matter. Jenny's social status was too deeply imbedded in the minds of her classmates by that point for the interference of the Homecoming King to do any good.

Jenny blinked abruptly when the mirror flashed and showed Nick at her doorstep. She swallowed, knowing it was the day he had left for college. For Japan, although she hadn't known it at the time. It was the first time he'd come to her house in six years. He had come to apologize, but Jenny had refused to listen. She had slammed the door in his face, furious that he thought an apology was enough to wipe the slate clean. The moment Jenny had slammed the door, she had collapsed to the floor and started sobbing. All her frustration and feelings throughout the years came pouring out in her tears. She knew that she would finally be free of him. She wanted to rejoice, but instead new misery cut into her. Somehow, the only thing worse than seeing him every day was not seeing him at all.

Jenny was crying freely by this time, reliving the pain afresh. She didn't feel any better at the next montage of scenes Lord Ahriman showed her, of Nick with his many girlfriends. She recognized some of them from high school, but also girls she didn't know whom he had met in Japan. She saw pretty girls, skinny girls, lively girls. Nick kissing them on their necks as they giggled. Nick playing with their hair. Nick kissing Dalila at the club on Halloween. Jenny saw her own shocked expression at discovering them, the flashing purple lights coloring her white dress. She remembered how mortified she had felt, how she had turned and fled.

"He doesn't want you. He doesn't need you. And even if he did, he has no way of appreciating who you really are. That man-whore could never make you happy," said Lord Ahriman.

Mixed among the images of Nick were Usagi and the others, always laughing, their eyes malicious. Jenny's heart pounded as she watched them. Her fingers felt frozen to the handle of the mirror. "None of them want you. They laugh at you. They don't care about you," Lord Ahriman murmured against her ear, over and over until Jenny couldn't stand it. She lifted her arm, ready to hurl the mirror away from her, but he easily caught her wrist at the last moment and wrenched the mirror from her hand.

"No good," he said. He waved his other hand over the mirror, and it vanished. "That mirror contains my family. They're kept under a different spell than I was. If you smash it, they'll be lost forever. Only your power will help me set them free."

"My power?" Jenny's voice was shaking. "Why would I ever help you?"

"Because we need each other. You're the only one I can count on."

"But Sera and the others…" Jenny was cut off with a particularly sour laugh from Lord Ahriman.

"They're more frightened of me than loyal. As soon as the tide turns, they'll be on the other side, fighting with your dear friends. Especially Sera. But you and I, we could be great together. I told you before that I care about you and only you. When will you see that I'm the only one who truly loves you?"

That was stretching it a bit, but before Jenny had a chance to answer, there was an insistent knock on the door. Sera burst inside.

"We have a situation," she said crisply. Her eyes landed on Lord Ahriman and Jenny sitting together on the sofa. Nothing changed in her expression.

"I'm in the middle of something. Can't it wait?" he asked sharply.

Sera shook her head. "We have some unexpected guests, Boss."

Jenny's heart leapt into action. The senshi had come. She wasn't sure if she was pleased that they hadn't abandoned her or if she was annoyed that they were stupid enough to walk into Sera's trap. She felt the beginnings of panic flutter in her stomach.

"What? How? Where are they?" Lord Ahriman sounded more flummoxed than Jenny would have expected.

"How do you think? Kyanite and Alexandrite guided a group teleportation. For the moment I have them trapped behind a barrier I set up in case this happened, but it won't hold them for long. I was expecting them to try something like this. Somebody had to be prepared." Sera sounded unexpectedly petulant as she spoke to him. Lord Ahriman's expression darkened but he didn't reprimand her.

"Nick?" he asked rising to his feet. Jenny's panic multiplied tenfold.

"He's with them. I thought you'd want him there for the decision."

For a moment Jenny didn't understand, but then the blood drained from her face. The decision. Of course. This was is. The final battle. Everything for months had been leading up to this moment. They were all counting on her to make a decision. Thinking about it made Jenny feel faint. She felt less sure about her true feelings and where her loyalties lay than she had been only hours before.

Lord Ahriman stood abruptly. He grabbed Jenny's arm and yanked her to her feet. His face was white, his lips tight. "I hope you've been paying attention, princess, because nobody – _nobody_ – is going to fight for you harder than me." The intensity of his gaze frightened her. There wasn't the faintest hint of the Max she had known in it, only dark fury. He pulled her out the door and down the hallway. Jenny barely noticed. She was thinking desperately, reliving what Lord Ahriman had shown her, wondering if there was a way out. She couldn't play this role. It wasn't fair of any of them to make her.

The doorway Lord Ahriman dragged her through led into the cavernous mess hall Jenny had seen his creatures in earlier. Her stomach lurched with fear, but it was empty of all except the senshi and their close allies trapped in a pearly bubble. Jenny felt even sicker upon seeing them standing together in an array of bright colors. It was evident that they had tried to break free from Sera's barrier, for the inside was scorched with ugly burn marks. At seeing her, many of them gasped and moved forward. Jenny saw Nick standing beside Tuxedo Kamen. Seeing Nick looking so pale and out of place among the warriors brimming with power did little to calm her.

Lord Ahriman's mood lifted instantly. He laughed, a surprisingly pleasant and relaxed sound considering the circumstances. "Well, well. Isn't this a surprise. Sailormoon and her entourage have come to visit me in my humble abode. What brings you here, dear? Come back to relive fond memories?"

"You know why we've come," Eternal Sailormoon said. She pressed both hands directly against the shimmering barrier. Jenny felt a rush of warmth at her voice. She tried to step forward, but Lord Ahriman's iron grip held her back.

He smiled unpleasantly. "You've come for her, yes? I can't blame you for that. But have you asked yourselves why you're really here? Have you come to rescue your friend, or to prevent her from gaining her powers as Sailorathena, because you know she's capable of destroying you all?"

Jenny looked at him quickly. Was that the reason they had come? The possibility made her feel cold. The senshi gasped, and Sailorneptune cried, "No, Jenny, that's not true! We're here because we're your friends!" Other voices joined with her, pleading their case. Jenny heard their voices but she was so busy with her own thoughts that she couldn't listen to their words. She saw the fear that was displayed so clearly in the eyes of some of the senshi, especially the newest ones. Sailordemeter and Sailormetis looked so tiny among the older, more experienced warriors, so fragile. No matter what happened, some of them were going to get hurt, maybe even killed.

Shining tears were dripping down Sailormoon's face. Her lips were trembling as her eyes looked at Jenny pleadingly. Jenny found it very difficult to look away. When she did, her gaze locked with a pair of chocolate brown eyes. Nick looked pale and strained. Jenny could hardly blame him. As she looked at him, she became aware for the first time of how fully human he was, how vulnerable. As Lord Ahriman had constantly reminded her, he had no special powers to protect himself. He was reasonably strong, probably more so than the average nineteen-year-old boy, but what use would his mortal strength do him when faced with Lord Ahriman's shimmering darkness?

Jenny clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms. She felt the warmth of blood slide against her palms. As she looked at the familiar faces gazing at her from behind the glittering barrier, she suddenly realized that it was useless. They had no chance, not against Lord Ahriman's dark power and his army of beasts. There was no way they could win on their own. She narrowed her eyes slightly. Did they know that? Did they guess that fighting now would be useless? How could she protect them?

No matter what, she was going to have to betray someone.

"Get your hands off her," Nick said coldly. Jenny hadn't noticed that Lord Ahriman was standing behind her and that he had put his arms around her, holding her directly against him. At Nick's threat, he only laughed. His hands ran up and down Jenny's arms, caressing. She felt his lips touch against the top of her head. Jenny shivered as a chill ran through her body.

"Unfortunately, I can't do that. Jenny likes it when I touch her. We're a team. You see, we've just finished having a chat, and she understands now that she and I were meant to be together. She knows that all of you are only interested in using her, while I care for the girl above the outcome of any battle."

"No." Nick looked as ghastly as a phantom with his pallid complexion and dark circles brushing the undersides of his eyes. "She would never willingly give in to you. She isn't like that. She isn't like you. Jen, please look at me. Don't let him tell you that you're evil, because it isn't true. Whatever he's told you, however he's tried to convince you to join him, it's all lies. You know that. He'd do anything to win you." Other voices chimed with his, urging Jenny not to trust Lord Ahriman, trying to convince her that _they_ were her real friends. The din mixed with Lord Ahriman's laughter was so great in her head that Jenny pressed both hands against her ears and shut her eyes. She wanted to disappear.

When she finally removed her hands and opened her eyes, Lord Ahriman was boasting again. "We have an understanding, you see. Jenny understands that this is the best way for everyone involved. She wants to be with me."

Sailormoon and the others were still protesting, but Jenny said weakly, "He's right."

"What?" Jupiter said disbelievingly. The senshi who had heard Jenny looked horrified. The others looked at their friends, their faces growing dark with comprehension the longer they stared.

"What?" said Lord Ahriman, equally stunned. Jenny looked up at him helplessly.

"You're right. This is the best way. I was here earlier, and I saw your army. There were hundreds of them. It was horrible. The senshi can't win against them. I know it. At least this way, I can protect some of them."

For a long moment there was only silence. It didn't appear that the senshi were breathing as they stared at her, horror-struck. Lord Ahriman looked down at her with an expression she had never seen on him before. He had heard her words but he didn't dare hope that he'd understood. "You're sure?" he asked. He held out his hand between them, not forcing, only waiting.

Jenny took it. She looked down at their clasped fingers for a long moment before lifting his hand and lightly kissing his knuckles. She raised her eyes to meet his. "I'm sure. I want to be with you. To support you. You were there for me all year. You were the only one at times. I don't believe you were just trying to use me. It was real. So from now on we're partners. In everything."

As his eyes started to shine with golden joy, Jenny forced a smile and added, "And, okay, maybe the whole absolute power thing has something to do with it. There's a lot about this world that really pisses me off, and maybe now I'll actually be in a position to do something about it."

From inside the barrier, the senshi were in an uproar. Nick didn't say a word as he shook his head slowly, incredulously. "I don't believe it," Sailormoon said, her voice shaking. "You wouldn't do that!"

Jenny turned to her with narrowed eyes. "Wouldn't I? You don't know me. You never tried to know me. You don't have a clue what I would and wouldn't do." It hurt Jenny to snap at her like that, but she needed to understand. She gripped Lord Ahriman's hand more tightly and leaned against his side. She felt the strength in his arm around her shoulders. He was still looking down at her, both proud and subservient, as if he would gladly kneel at her feet if she gave him a reason. Jenny smiled up at him before turning her head and seeking the eyes of Sailoranteros, the warrior in yellow who had been by her side from the beginning, protecting her.

Along with Nick, Anteros was the only other person not speaking. She stood very still as she looked at Jenny coolly, thoughtfully. For a moment they only looked at each other, and then Anteros' lips tightened. She nodded once and turned to the Athene senshi. "Come on," she said roughly. "Our princess has chosen our place. We must go to her."

"You have got to be kidding," Sailorhestia said, looking absolutely horrified. She shook her head, making her red hair fly from side to side. "There's no way in hell I'm going out there."

"We'll be on the right side. She's our princess, and it's our duty to defend her. No matter what."

"But…we are still talking about bad guys, right?" Pandia cut in. She seemed to be the only one questioning it. One by one, the Athene senshi silently stepped closer to Anteros. Pandia sighed and followed.

"What, are you crazy? You're going to turn on us just like that?" Mars demanded. Her face was white with anger.

"We don't know what he's done to her," Mercury added. "She may not be in her right mind. You can't decide so quickly. We have to talk about this."

"It's not our decision to make," Astraea said regretfully. She looked back at Nick. Her expression was sad, but her lips were set in a determined line.

Lord Ahriman laughed. "Wise decision, girls, very wise." Behind him, Sera moved her hands and the barrier became thin where the Athene senshi stood. They were able to pass through, while the other senshi looked after them numbly. Sailormoon was still crying. The Athene senshi went to stand behind Jenny silently as Sera, Calcite, and Azurite were shadowing Lord Ahriman. Their faces were grave but determined.

"Anyone else who wants to join the winning side is free to step forward," Lord Ahriman said, but he was only met with scornful looks. "Anyone but Nick," he added with a smirk.

Jenny really didn't want her eyes to stray his way, but after Lord Ahriman mentioned his name she couldn't help it. Nick was looking at her as darkly as before. "No, this can't be you," he said. "You wouldn't do this to your friends. Not the Jenny I know." His eyes were full of hurt as he looked at her. Jenny had nothing to say in response. She looked back at Lord Ahriman and saw his encouraging smile. She didn't have to listen to Nick. She knew she was doing the right thing.

"10,000 years," a voice muttered. Jenny looked down to see Surya rubbing against her legs. "This is exactly 10,000 years from the last battle. This truly is destiny." He red eyes glowed as he looked up at her. Barely perceptible, he gave her a little nod.

"You know what to do, my dear," Lord Ahriman said. He lightly touched her cheek. Jenny swallowed and nodded. Seeing him now was like looking at a stranger: he was both Mr. Gordon and Lord Ahriman combined, but somehow neither. His golden eyes shone with a light that showed his anticipation, his happiness. Jenny reached out a hand and traced his jaw-line. He easily caught her hand and brought her fingers to his lips.

"I say we get this over with. The sooner we can start our new life together."

"Yes," Jenny whispered. She felt the red hot flame inside her. It was time. Slowly, Jenny disentangled herself from his arms and stepped away. She lifted her hand into the air. Her ring flashed, brighter than fire, brighter than the sun.

"_Power of Athena, transform me_!" Jenny cried. She gasped as the light from the ring became a flame and wrapped around her body, changing her. She felt power from within spilling out through every pore she had, a power that had always been dormant, waiting for the right moment to come forth. She felt a variety of emotions as she transformed, but not regret, never regret. She finally understood her position, her power. This was supposed to happen. It was truly meant to be.

When the transformation was finished, she stepped away from the fire blazing around her like an exploding sun. Everyone was looking at her with a combination of horror and awe, at the previously normal girl who had become a warrior princess. Her uniform was red with blue ribbons, like an inverse of Sailormoon's uniform. It was strangely appropriate. Everything about her glowed. She lifted her hands to look down at her gloves. She felt more confident than she ever could have imagined. Slowly, her lips curved into a smile.

Sailorathena had finally arrived.


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter Fifteen**

It doth repent me: words are quick and vain;  
Grief for awhile is blind, and so was mine,  
I wish no living thing to suffer pain.  
-Percy Bysshe Shelley

Feeling high with the energy vibrating through her, Sailorathena spun around to look at the senshi trapped behind the pulsing, shimmering bubble. She lifted her hand and wagged her fingers. "Hey, guys," she said.

Sailormoon burst into fresh tears. "Jen-chan, how could you? We're sisters!"

"As if that matters," Sailorathena said, thinking of Kristin and her selfish ways. Sailormoon gasped and lifted a hand to cover her mouth. Several of her friends crowded around her, murmuring comfortingly. Tuxedo Kamen's face was dark as he put his arms around her. Beside him, Nick's expression wasn't any kinder. He looked at Sailorathena as if he no longer recognized her. Unconcerned, she flipped her hair over her shoulders and laughed.

"Jenny, that's enough," Sailorastraea said, her voice sharp. "You're already betraying her. You don't have to be a bitch about it." Sailorathena waved her off with one hand as she walked back to Lord Ahriman. He put his arms around her and she leaned back against him, seemingly content and peaceful.

"This is wrong. We can't do this," Sailormetis said, her voice strained. She looked around at the other Athene senshi anxiously. They all looked just as uncomfortable. Sailorurania was clenching her fists and looking at her boots. Sailorpandia looked like she was going to be sick. Sailordemeter's face was white. She stood so still she could have been a young doe in a forest, frozen in some hunter's path. Only Sailoranteros appeared confident.

"Just shut up and do what she says," Anteros said. She nodded at Sailorathena encouragingly.

Nick looked just as sick as Pandia when Athena's eyes flicked back to him. She could see how heavily he was breathing, how raggedly. "I'm not fighting with you," he said firmly, as if he needed to reassure himself. Sailorathena's eyes widened with astonishment.

"Fight? You? As if I need your help. What exactly were you planning to do, Kestrel-sama? Blast us with the pure power of your good looks? There is nothing you can do, and you sure as hell better know it. You've always been so damned full of yourself even when you can't win." Athena shook her head. It was so…_Nick_. To think he was part of what was going on. To think he had a chance equal to that of Tuxedo Kamen and the others. What arrogance. What stupidity.

Lord Ahriman snaked his arms more tightly around her. He took one of her hands and lifted it to kiss her gloved wrist. "True words, my dear. I'm glad you finally see what I have all along."

"Have I?" Athena's smile grew wider.

"Yes. You know we belong together and that he means nothing. He never has. Why don't you tell him exactly what you think of him?" Athena could feel Lord Ahriman's satisfaction. He was practically brimming with excitement. He loved watching her ability to hurt Nick. It was like a drug for him. Who was she to deny him one last pleasure? Ignoring the murmured protests from the Athene senshi, Athena stepped forward and began crossing the room to the barrier. She didn't stop until she was standing directly before Nick, watching his face shimmer and dance with the movements of the bubble concealing him.

"If you harm him…" Tuxedo Kamen started coldly, but Sailorathena shut him up with a scornful look.

"I only want to chat. Because now he'll _have_ to listen." She looked at Nick, into his brown eyes that were distorted from the glimmering barrier. She looked at him for a long time before clenching her gloved fists.

"I hate you," she said.

Nick flinched as if her words had physically punched him. "Do you think I don't know that? Do you think that fact hasn't eaten me from inside for the last eight years? I know it's all my fault. If I hadn't been so stupid…if I hadn't thought I knew what was best for you, for both of us…but that doesn't matter now, does it? Here we are. If you want to kill me, go ahead, but don't punish the others because you're angry at me. You don't have to choose sides right away."

"I already have decided," Sailorathena said sharply. She narrowed her eyes. "You are going to listen to me now. That's all I request. You may never have the chance again, and I want you to know how I feel." She broke off and licked her lips. Nick's gaze automatically lowered to her mouth.

"I hate you," she continued. "I hate your arrogance, and the way you always treat me like a child. I hate how you think I need protection, and how you appointed yourself my personal bodyguard. I hate that you don't think of me as your equal. I hate the way you look at other girls, especially my friends. I mostly hate the way you don't trust me to make the right decisions. You're so stupid, Nicholas Kestrel."

She broke off and blinked rapidly. Only Nick was close enough to see that her blue eyes had filled with tears. He was too shocked to say anything as he looked back. Sailorathena took a slow breath to calm herself. When she had her composure back, she said, "You'll never know how sorry I am, Nick, how much I wish things could have been different. Not for the rest of your life."

"Which apparently is going to end very soon," he muttered. Athena smiled, the movement brightening up her face.

"I really am sorry. Sorry that I had to do this now," she whispered, lowering her voice so that only he could hear. Nick didn't understand. He continued to stare at her, his eyes troubled. Only when she gave him the tiniest of winks did he inhale sharply. She saw the light of comprehension enter his eyes, but his actor's training kept his lips in a frown and his expression glum. She could feel his happiness, his relief. Carefully, he gave her just the faintest flicker of a wink back.

Athena started slowly backing away from him. "I'm so very sorry, Nick," she said theatrically, raising her voice so that everyone could hear her. She started to raise her arms.

"No!" Sailormoon shrieked, assuming that she was planning to kill Nick. She thrust herself before him protectively, but Athena surprised her. She spun around and gestured wildly at her friends.

"Anteros, everyone, do it now!" Anteros stepped forward, but she was the only one. The others gaped at her, startled and confused.

"What?" Pandia asked, her violet eyes wide.

"Your powers, you idiot! Break the barrier!" Athena said with exasperation.

Urania laughed aloud. "Good girl! I knew you didn't mean it." As one, the Athene senshi raised their hands. They started pooling their powers into a ball of energy that expanded rapidly and flashed with their combined colors. Sailorathena hurried forward and joined them, adding the reddish sparkling energy of her own power to the ball. It all happened within seconds. Lord Ahriman was watching her silently, obviously not processing what was happening, but Athena saw the lips of Calcite and Azurite start to curl behind him as they understood. With protesting cries, they started forward.

"Down! Get down!" Nick yelled to the confused Sol senshi who were standing behind the barrier, watching the movements of the Athene senshi with doubt in their eyes. Fortunately, none of them questioned him as they dropped to the ground. The Athene senshi released the ball of light and it flew forward to crash into the barrier. With an explosion of light and a thrumming shockwave that pulsed through the room, the barrier broke and disappeared.

"No," Lord Ahriman said. Not angrily, not hatefully, just with disbelief. Sailorathena fought a wrenching pain as she turned to look at him. His hawk eyes were fixed on her with astonishment and raw hurt. As they looked at each other, his expression hardened.

"You mean to betray me? Me, who promised to give you everything?"

Sailorathena blinked but held her ground. "You're as selfish as Nick. Worse. You just wanted me and my powers without giving anything back. And the fact that you actually thought I was willing to turn on my friends…well, that just proves you're an idiot as well."

"Oh, Jen-chan!" Eternal Sailormoon cried. When Sailorathena looked at her, she saw how her sister's eyes were filled with love. Sailormoon started running to her with open arms, but Athena shook her head with a smile and held up a hand just before she reached her.

"Later," she promised. She looked back at Lord Ahriman and her lips tightened. "We have something to settle first."

Looking at her then, something in the dark lord's golden eyes shattered. He threw back his head and let out a strange, animal-like howl. When he lowered his head again, his eyes shone red. "If that's the way it is, then we truly are enemies."

The air around him was smoking, turning black with his fury. He thrust his hands into the air. With a thunderous roar, the ground beneath their feet began to shake. Hot, toxic steam started to rise from the cracks in the stone. Sailormoon lost her balance in the quaking of the earth and stumbled into Sailorathena, toppling them both to the ground. As Athena started struggling back to her feet, the ground began to crack with alarming speed. Great chasms formed in the stone, revealing endless dark pits. The ground separated with such rapid speed and force that Athena was shaken again from her stance. She stumbled, waving her arms for balance. With a surprised yelp, she started to fall into the gaping canyon behind her.

"No!" Eternal Sailormoon screamed, reaching for her in a panic. She managed to take hold of Sailorathena's arm, but she fell so quickly that Sailormoon was soon left grasping only her wrist. She could feel the fabric of Athena's glove sliding under her fingers as she sank further into the canyon. Sailormoon's arms shook as she fought to hold onto her. She knew it wouldn't be long before she lost the fight.

"Help me!" Sailormoon yelled desperately. She felt immediate relief when someone dropped beside her and reached out a hand to help. The fingers were strong and masculine as they took Sailorathena's arm below Sailormoon's own fingers. She assumed it was Tuxedo Kamen, and she turned to him with a grateful smile. Her lips froze when she saw not her boyfriend but Lord Ahriman crouched beside her. He looked extraordinarily pale and his eyes were wild with fright as he looked down at the dangling Sailorathena. Sailormoon was too stunned to move. She stared at him with open shock, her lips parted. Lord Ahriman turned to look at her as well. Then silently, understanding each other for perhaps the first time in history, they pulled Sailorathena out of the canyon together.

Only when her sister was safe was Sailormoon able to pay attention to what was going on around her. Pandemonium had erupted in the cavernous room. An army of demons were rushing in through the doorway. Still others were leaping up from the ugly cracks in the stone floor. There was plenty of cackling and teeth-gnashing as they started to take on her friends. Already the room was filled with bursts of color and energy as the senshi joined the fight. She could hardly see them through the resulting smoke, but she knew they were fighting on, doing their best in the surrounding danger.

Sailormoon looked back at her sister and felt another wave of concern. Lord Ahriman was leaning over Sailorathena, who looked limp as a rag doll as she lay against the stone. Her eyes were shut and her head lolled to the side. "She's fainted," Lord Ahriman observed, but Sailormoon glared at him and shook her head.

"No, she was knocked out by a falling rock. _Your _fault," she snapped, her fingers indicating the ugly gash at Athena's temple on the side of her head that was turned to the floor. She turned Athena's head gently so that he could see the blood matting her silvery blond hair. For a few seconds he didn't move. His lips were tight. He reached down gentle fingers to touch her cheek, but Sailormoon wrapped her arms around Athena's body and pulled her away from him with a jerk.

Lord Ahriman snapped his hand back and stood angrily. "As you please," he growled, but his expression softened as he looked down at the unconscious Athena. "Keep her safe," he requested before turning and plunging into the heat of the battle surrounding them.

Eternal Sailormoon glared in his direction until she was positive he was gone before looking down at Sailorathena and gently shaking her. The girl didn't stir at her touch. Sailormoon didn't like the amount of blood in her hair or the color of her skin that appeared much more pale than was natural. She looked up and desperately called. "Saturn, _Saturn_!"

"Don't worry, I'm on it," said a nearby voice. There was a flash of red and orange as someone dropped beside her. Sailormoon looked at Sailorhestia with relief.

"You can help her?"

"In theory," Hestia said. She outstretched a hand and closed her eyes in concentration. Within seconds, a slow-burning golden flame grew on her hand. Hestia opened her eyes in triumph. She lowered the ball of golden fire to Sailorathena's head and carefully pushed it into her wound. For a moment, Sailorathena's entire body glowed a healing golden-orange energy before her color returned to normal.

Sailorathena opened her eyes.

"Jen-chan!" Sailormoon cried with relief. "I was so scared."

"I wasn't. I knew it would work," Hestia said with a wink as she rubbed her hands together and blew on them.

"Modest as always." Sailorathena sat up, groaning as she brought a hand to her head.

"The blood's gone," Sailormoon observed with surprise. Sailorhestia smiled.

"Of course. My work is always complete. Come on, girl, we've got work to do."

"Stay here," Sailormoon ordered Athena before hopping to her feet and rushing after Hestia into the fray. Athena, who _really _disliked being ordered around, ignored her and pulled herself to her feet. She sucked in her breath as she looked around. It was a scene right from Hell, a scene out of a nightmare. All of the senshi were doing their best to hold off the monsters that surrounded them. Their eyes were hard and their teeth were bared with concentration. The colors of the various attacks lit the room like a display of fireworks. It was mesmerizing, almost beautiful. Sailorathena was oddly fascinated as she looked. It was like watching a well-rehearsed play or an intricate ballet. The experienced senshi moved as if in a dance as they threw their attacks. The rarely tested Athene senshi seemed to be holding up almost as well. Some of the senshi, Sailoruranus and Sailorurania especially, looked energized by the battle. They laughed as they fought, moving as freely as the wind.

None of the demons paid any attention to Sailorathena. She suspected that it was Lord Ahriman's orders.

In the middle of the battle, Sailorhestia was scurrying around with Sailorsaturn to heal the burns and cuts of the senshi who were not faring so well. Sailorpandia looked positively gleeful as she used a new attack that put the demons she was facing into an instant sleep before she finished them off with her Night Terror Shock. Not far from her, Sailorastraea was fighting with ice and water as she formed icicles as sharp as daggers in her hands and flung them towards the demons. She and Sailoranteros were working together to intertwine their powers into even more deadlier attacks. Sailoranteros used a great gust of wind that forced the demons into Astraea's waiting icicles. Alternately, Astraea formed puddles of water beneath the feet of the demons while Anteros sent bolts of electricity that electrified them efficiently.

Sailordemeter's attacks were interesting. One moment she was shooting vines from her outstretched hands to tangle the demons with, choking them before she shot a more potent attack to finish them. The next moment, her human form melted away and she morphed into a golden mountain lion that leapt at Azurite's throat with a fierce growl. Across the room, Sailormetis wasn't doing too much on the offensive side, but she did produce a silver flute with a wave of her hand that she played so sweetly that the demons around her stopped fighting to listen. While they stood transfixed, the other senshi used their attacks to finish them. Always polite, Sailormetis turned her head as they exploded or melted, depending on the attack.

Sailorurania was ignoring the demons completely as she concentrated her efforts on Sera. Sera had transformed into a sexy, tight black outfit that Lord Ahriman no doubt chose for her. Seeing them grapple together, their similar light blue hair whipping around them, made Athena feel strange. Sera was shooting dark beams of energy at Urania, who gracefully dodged out of the way. Urania then opened her mouth, yelled something Athena couldn't hear over the noise of the war, and multiplied into fifteen other Sailoruranias that surrounded Sera. Sera screamed in frustration as she spun around, trying to find the real Urania.

Sailorathena felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned and came face to face with Lord Ahriman. "Pretty good show, isn't it?" he said. "Sister against sister. I would have preferred you and yours fighting out there, but I'll take what I can."

"Huh?" Sailorathena looked at him, feeling a strange tugging uneasiness in her chest.

"Don't tell me you never noticed it? I'm surprised at you. Yes, their temperaments and haircuts are vastly different, but everything else is the same. Sera and Alisia – you know her as Lyyli – are also sisters. Twin sisters. Doesn't that make this moment immensely more entertaining?"

When Athena only gaped at him, he added, "No? Well, I think it's interesting. As is the rest of it. Look at your friends. They're tiring quickly, even Sailormoon's bunch." Sailorathena bit her lip as she looked. She hated to see that he was telling the truth. The senshi were still fighting on, but they were clearly dragging their feet. Even Sailoruranus, Sailorjupiter, and Sailoranteros, the most athletic of the bunch, were breathing heavily.

"They're killing your demon army," Sailorathena said defensively. Lord Ahriman nodded thoughtfully.

"True, but even you have to admit that they are greatly outnumbered. As quickly as your dear friends are tiring, my army will die. In the end they'll all kill one another, leaving only the two of us, which I, personally, do not think is all that bad."

With that, Lord Ahriman suddenly reached out and pulled her to him, kissing her roughly. As she felt the strength of his arms crushing her, his hot insistent mouth against hers, Sailorathena was too shocked to move. Never before had he used force on her. She felt a rush of anger mixed with regret, thinking about what they had lost. Strength filled her limbs and she was able to pull herself out of his arms with a strong jerk that made him stumble backwards.

"Not if I kill you first," she said coldly. Her voice deadly serious, but Lord Ahriman laughed.

"Would you do that to me?"

"You keep giving me reasons."

Lord Ahriman smiled. "But could you _do_ it? When you owe me so much?"

"I don't owe you a thing."

"I saved your life a moment ago. Without me, you would have plummeted straight into the pits of Hell."

Athena felt chilled all over. "No one asked you to save me!"

"No, but I did it all the same, even though you had just declared me an enemy. Now tell me, princess, could you honestly kill someone who just saved your life? Someone who gave you warmth, comfort, and friendship these last few months? Why don't we find out? Go ahead. Take a shot at me." He stepped back and spread his arms, open and defenseless.

"Go on," he urged when she didn't move. "Hit me with your great power. I think you might even enjoy it." His golden eyes sparkled with amusement.

Sailorathena stared at him breathing heavily. Her mind was filled with memories of Max, the way he had cared for her and looked after her. He had given her something she desperately needed. He had made her feel normal in a world that had gone mad around her. She had truly loved him. Looking at him now, even seeing what he had become, she knew she still did.

"You can't, can you?" he said seriously. "I would never hurt you, and you would never hurt me. We mean too much to each other. Why don't you give up now and accept the way things are? Take your rightful place by my side." Lord Ahriman moved closer to her. He tried to take her shoulders again, but she slapped him away. She turned and ran from him. His laughter followed her every step. Sailorathena was so confused and angry that she felt like hurting something, even if that something couldn't be Lord Ahriman. She hated that he was right. She would never hurt him. No matter what he did, the memory of his friendship would always stay fresh in her mind. She could never forget what he had been to her. No doubt that had been one of his aims all along.

Sailorathena was so furious that she decided to try out her new powers. She had been a spectator in the war long enough. She felt a deadly calm still her body as she noticed a demon that was heading towards Sailorpluto. Pluto was so busy fighting three others that she didn't notice it coming. Sailorathena felt a sort of buzzing anticipation rush through her limbs as she opened her mouth. "_Atomic_…" she started but was cut off when there was a burst of pain on her right leg.

"Damn it, Surya!" she yelled as she reached down to stop the bleeding on her thigh where the cercaphor had dug in his claws.

He squinted up at her, his red eyes slits. "You are not to use that attack unless as a last resort. It will drain all your power, leaving none behind. It would be very foolish to waste that power on a single demon, especially when you will be needed greatly later on."

Athena winced as she touched the ugly scratches on her leg. "You could have told me that. I didn't know."

He sniffed and turned his pink nose into the air. "Well, now you do. And I would adjust your tone, young lady, especially since I've come to offer you help. I've brought a present from Eternal Sailormoon, which came from her mother Queen Serenity, who, if you go even further back, received it from your own mother, Queen Celestia." He did a little twirl in the air and produced a shimmering gold rod, covered with diamonds and glittering firestones.

Athena blinked at the rod. "What is it?" she asked, her anger fading the longer she looked at it.

"It will amplify your power. I'm only giving it to you for protection, for I think we both agree that you should stay out of the fight. You cannot use that attack for any mere means. Heed my words, girl."

Sailorathena was so angry that she could have kicked him, but instead she took a deep breath and demanded, "Do you expect me to just sit back and watch while my friends are slaughtered?"

Surya blinked at her. "Did I say that? Surely you didn't think that you only had one attack. I only ask you to withhold from using _that_ one."

"But…" Sailorathena trailed off, feeling silly. She should have known there were others. She shut her eyes, sending out little feelers in her mind and body. When she had the right words and motions, she opened her eyes with a satisfied smile. This would be cake.

"_Cosmic Shock_!" At her words, a supersonic boom burst from the bejeweled wand in her hand, and not one but all four demons Sailorpluto was fighting disappeared. Pluto turned and smiled her thanks, but Sailorathena's satisfaction was short-lived. A powerful dizziness came over her. She staggered backwards, stretching out her arms for balance. She felt drained, worse than she had running sprints in gym class. She willed herself not to faint. Her vision darkened and then slowly cleared.

"What's wrong with me? How come only I get tired after using my powers?"

"Because you're the warrior of the wild cosmos. You draw your power from the stars, from the dust particles from the beginning of time. It isn't a power that can be completely harnessed. Naturally it would affect you as it rushes through you. Haven't I explained that to you already?" Surya asked irritably.

"No."

"Well, now you know. From now on, please refrain from using your powers unless absolutely necessary, because the effect on you may not be worth blasting a few stupid demons." Surya looked around the battle scene, making no effort to hide his contempt for the misshapen creatures.

Sailorathena ignored him. She couldn't just stand around. She stepped away from Surya, eyes scanning for who was in the most trouble. Her eyes widened as she saw Sailormoon cornered with ten or more demons closing in on her. She opened her mouth, ready to yell the words, but felt another stab of pain, this time on her left leg. She couldn't waste her breath yelling at Surya again, so she opened her mouth and yelled, "Sailormoon! Someone help her!" Tuxedo Kamen perked up at her cry and immediately left Nick to start towards her. He was so far away, though, that Athena bit her lip and used her _Cosmic Shock_ attack again. The attack took care of seven of the demons surrounding Sailormoon, but this time the effect on her was so great that she actually stumbled backwards and fell to the ground.

"Idiot," Surya hissed as he hopped onto her stomach. "Didn't I warn you? Using your powers is especially devastating because Sailorathena has _never_ appeared before in the history of the universe. There has been no one before you to share the power with. You're it, child."

"Well, someone had to help her." Sailorathena did not regret it.

A shadow loomed over her suddenly. By the way Surya tensed, Athena knew who it was before she looked up. Lord Ahriman was holding out a hand to her. She pushed his hand away and deliberately stood by herself. She wobbled on the way up, but she made it.

"Tired, Jenny?" he asked in a mocking tone.

She raised her chin. "Not remotely."

Lord Ahriman did not seem to believe her, for he easily reached out and pulled her against him. Athena felt weak as a moth as she tried to escape him. He only laughed and hugged her to him more tightly. His hand slid easily down her back and lower, caressing. "It's a shame," he said. "I was about to suggest that you come away and rest with me. We could leave this place and let the carnage take its course. I've got a big empty bed waiting for your warmth. If we're going to be spending eternity together, we might as well start practicing."

An angry howling filled the air. Athena thought one of the demons had approached until there was a blur of gold and orange. Surya leapt at the dark lord's face, claws flying and teeth bared. Lord Ahriman hurriedly stepped back from Sailorathena as Surya dug one clawed paw into his dark hair and continued slashing and spitting in his face. Lord Ahriman swore loudly. As Athena watched in horror, he grabbed Surya around his throat. Surya's outraged howling cut off instantly. Sailorathena screamed as he flung the small golden body against the ground. With an unsettling thud, the cercaphor jerked and lay still. His red eyes were shut. His mane was pathetically disarrayed.

Athena tried to bend down to him, but Lord Ahriman jerked her back into his arms. Surya's small, still form on the ground gave her new strength and this time she was able to escape him. Tears rolling down her cheeks, she lifted a hand to hit him, but he easily caught it and kissed the back of her hand.

"You monster!" she screamed, pulling her hand back and hitting at him again. This time he made no move to stop her, and his head snapped to the side with the force of her blow. When he turned back to her with a smile, there was the red imprint of her knuckles against his cheek.

"That's it. You feel the rage now? That's what I've lived with for thousands of years. Let it out, darling. You want to get me? Here I am."

He laughed as Athena took a horrified step backwards. She looked down at Surya lying so still on the ground and brought a hand to her mouth to muffled the jagged breathing of her crying. She couldn't do it. God help her, she couldn't do it. Why couldn't she get her revenge? Why couldn't she blast Lord Ahriman into oblivion as he kept daring her to? Was she so weak that she couldn't do anything against him, no matter how many of her loved ones he hurt?

"I saw that you've been using your powers. Good. I was hoping you would. I saw you help Sailormoon only moments ago with your power and with your scream. Now her loyal knight in the top hat will stay by her side and make sure she stays safe. You've done your duty well. Only, I think you've forgotten something."

"What's that?" Sailorathena asked dazedly. Lord Ahriman smiled and his golden eyes flicked to the side. She followed his gaze and her eyes landed on Nick, standing along the sidelines unguarded now that Tuxedo Kamen had left him.

"I've waited a long time for this," Lord Ahriman said, his voice deep and slow. He lifted a hand towards Nick.

"No," Sailorathena breathed, barely believing it even when black electricity started forming on the dark lord's palm. Sensing a change of pressure in the air, Nick turned towards them. His eyes widened with realization just as Lord Ahriman's cruel smile spread across his face. The ball of energy on Lord Ahriman's hand grew greater, sucking out light from the air around it like a black hole.

"No!" Athena screamed as Lord Ahriman pulled back his hand and hurled the dark energy from him. It sailed through the air toward Nick with speed and crackling electric intensity. Its power was so great that after one touch from it, not even Saturn and Hestia's power combined would have been enough to revive Nick from Hades' sleep.

In Athena's vision, the world had darkened. Time slowed to a creep. She saw Nick's mouth drop open as the dark energy shot towards him, saw him lift his hands uselessly before him. Sailorathena felt the power build inside her before she knew what was happening. She didn't think; she couldn't think. She only knew that every cell in her body was crying out that she had to protect him. She felt the gathering pull of ions in the air as she called on the deepest powers of space and time. Her eyes flashed with resolve as her voice rose above the roaring wind.

"_Atomic Obliterate_!" Sailorathena screamed. It wasn't only her voice, but the voice of thousands of others before her who had fallen under Lord Ahriman's dark cruelty. A searing white light burst inside her and rushed through the jeweled rod with the force of a tsunami crashing onto land. Her power spread throughout the room, intensely sensed Athena's unleashing of power and quickly threw her _Silent Wall_ of protection around her friends before the power reached them. The shockwave of Athena's power rushed through the room destroying everything it touched. The demons vanished as they were instantly reduced to particles, completely unmade. Although Lord Ahriman had caused her to release the flood of energy, Athena tried her best to direct the worst of it away from Lord Ahriman and Sera. Rather than disappear, they were blown backwards with incredible force. She didn't expend any thoughts or energy for Azurite and Calcite, who were unmade along with the rest of the demons.

As her supernova power spread throughout the room, reducing the demons to quantum dust and bouncing harmlessly off Saturn's wall of protection, Athena knew she was dying. Everything she had went into the attack, and as it left her she felt her life force being ripped from her body. The last thing she remembered as the remainder of her power fled her was the screaming of her friends, the rush of solar wind and light. The world was growing dim around her. Sailorathena gladly gave in to the darkness. If she had failed to protect any of her friends, she knew she would be rejoining them soon.

She was mistaken. Only minutes, perhaps even seconds passed before she opened her eyes. She lay on her back, feeling sublimely relaxed. The sky glowed silver above her, and she thought perhaps she had made it to Heaven after all. That is until someone cried out with delight and a panel of faces, rosy and alive though covered with tears and various hurts, leaned over her.

"She's awake!"

"Thank, God!"

"Oh, Jenny!"

Now profoundly aware that she was alive after all, the serene bubble of euphoria vanished and she became aware of the tightness and stinging of various burns on her arms. She winced as she tried to lift her head and a throbbing pain burst through her temples. She lay her head back and shut her eyes immediately. The earth spun beneath her, revolving in a frantic dance. A moment later she felt soft fingers brush her forehead and a cooling sensation moved along her skin and beneath it, washing away the pain. When she opened her eyes once more, she saw Saturn kneeling beside her, her eyes worried.

"Thanks," she said smiling gratefully and attempted to sit up again. A quick glance around told her that she was far from Heaven. They appeared to be at a construction site for a large building. Only the concrete had been poured, and they were sitting on top of it about fifteen feet below the surface of the earth. As Jenny looked around, Kyanite gallantly offered her a hand which she gladly took and pulled herself to a sitting position. As soon as she was up there was a blur of movement and a cry and Sailormoon's arms went around her. She was hugged so tightly that within seconds she was gasping for breath.

"You're okay, you're okay!" her sister kept repeating, crying and laughing at the same time. "Jen-chan, you saved us all!"

She felt oddly chilled even with Sailormoon's rib-cracking hug. As soon as Sailomoon's arms released her and she looked down at herself, she realized why. She was no longer Sailorathena, only plain old Jenny. A very nude Jenny.

Jenny reddened and immediately wrapped her arms around herself. The others turned their heads, politely trying to ignore her lack of clothing. Along with her uniform, the powerful jeweled rod from her mother was also missing. Even the ring that had circled her finger for months had vanished. Jenny knew that even if she still had it and tried to transform again, she wouldn't be able to. She was no longer Sailorathena. She had used up all the power that the universe had allotted for her. Surya had warned her not to use that final attack unless at a moment of dire need, and now she understood why. Sailorathena had appeared for one night of glory, but now was gone forever.

Surya. Jenny's chest tightened as she remembered the way he had lain against the ground, so bent and still. Tears started to well up in her eyes. He was also gone. Surya, the lively, insolent, lovable cercaphor. Never again would she hear his taunts.

"Put some clothes on, girl," she could almost hear him saying. She shut her eyes in misery. Surya with his red blinking eyes, scowling at her one moment and then curling up on the bed with her at night. She was going to miss him.

"Jenny, seriously. Stop bawling like an infant and put some clothes on. Naked is not a good look for you." Jenny froze and her tears subsided. That voice hadn't been her imagination, but did she dare hope…?

Slowly, she opened her eyes and let out a shriek of happiness when she saw Surya, alive and annoyed, lying in the arms of Sailorhestia who had just finished healing him. He couldn't even open his mouth a second time before Jenny's arms shot out and she grabbed him from Hestia, squeezing him so tightly that he coughed for air.

"Okay, okay!" he cried as she loosened her grip. "We get the idea."

"But you were dead," Jenny said, dangerously close to more tears.

Surya glared at her. "Did you want me to be dead? I was broken and bloody, yes, but not quite at death's road yet. It takes a lot more than one demonic asshole to kill a cercaphor." Although he scowled, his eyes were filled with amusement.

"I wasn't kidding about the clothes. Although you're really not much to look at compared to others here, some people might get excited." Jenny looked up quickly, reddening further. Tuxedo Kamen, Alexandrite, and Kyanite very cordially had their backs turned, but there was one face in the crowd that was turned towards her and unabashedly looking. Sailoranteros and Sailormars quickly moved in front of her to block her view, but it wasn't before she caught of glimpse of Nick's laughing face.

"Hey, what's the hurry? She's just as God intended." His smile lit up his features. He sounded so happy. The dark cloud that had fallen over him under Lord Ahriman's care had vanished completely. He was Nick again, the Nick she so rarely got to see. So impish, so carefree, so completely lecherous.

Tuxedo Kamen gallantly removed his cape and coat and handed them to Sailormoon to give to her. Jenny gladly accepted them. She put on his coat and tied the ends of the cape around her waist to create a temporary skirt. Both articles were too large on her small form to do much good, but at least they provided temporary relief. Wrapping the coat more firmly around her chest, Jenny stood and gently pushed between Anteros and Mars to confront Nick. She marched straight towards him, her expression hard. When he saw her coming, Nick's laugh died. His smile turned from free to uneasy as Jenny stopped before him.

"Hey, I didn't mean…okay, that was rude. I'm sorry. You just looked so cute sitting there, sweetheart, I couldn't help…"

He flinched back as Jenny lifted her arms, but instead of punching him she leapt at him and threw her arms around his neck. She held him tightly as if she was grasping a piece of driftwood in the middle of an empty ocean. She pressed her face against his shoulder, breathing in his scent. After a stunned moment, Nick put his arms around her and held her back. Jenny was unable to feel anything but slow-burning happiness. Her mind kept replaying those last few seconds before Sailorathena let loose her storm of power, of watching Lord Ahriman's dark energy speeding towards Nick and knowing that he was about to die. The power had burst from her instinctively. Lord Ahriman had thought she would never harm him, but he was wrong. There was one person for whom she would risk it all, including her own life.

"Well, if being a jerk is the key to this, then I'll never stop," said Nick.

"You will do no such thing," Jenny said fiercely. "Not when I saved your life. I just destroyed an army from Hell for you. You owe me, mister."

"Believe me when I say that I'm more than willing to spend the rest of my life paying for that debt. You've got a slave whether you want one or not." There was no laughter or joking in his voice this time, only earnest declaration.

Jenny smiled and pulled back slightly to look at him. "A slave, huh? Do I get to pick one out myself?"

Nick smiled and started to lean towards her again. Jenny, however, caught a glimpse over his shoulder and quickly sidestepped him. Her bliss cooled when she saw two girls on the ground about twenty feet from the group of senshi surrounding her. One was kneeling over another who lay quite still. Jenny hurried towards them uneasily. Sailorurania was beside the pale and still Sera, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably. A single glance told Jenny that Sera was dead, but Sailorurania didn't seem to understand. She looked up wildly at Jenny as she approached.

"Help her, you have to help her!" she moaned, her voice choked with tears.

Jenny knelt beside her. "She's gone, Lyyli," she said gently. She felt a wrenching guilt, knowing that it had been her fault, her power that had done it. She had tried to shield Sera at the last moment, but it hadn't been enough.

Urania shook her head, blue hair flying, not willing to accept that. "No, no," she sobbed, shaking again. "She apologized. At the last moment, she remembered everything and so did I. She was my sister in the past. She was my best friend, until Lord Ahriman took her and twisted her mind. I don't understand why we couldn't have been born together again in this lifetime. It isn't fair. Why did I only find her now after she's gone?"

Distraught, Jenny put her arms around her. Urania didn't appear to notice as she rushed on. "We weren't supposed to be born as twins. It had never happened before. Each ruling family of the planets always had one daughter, until us. It was like our soul split into two. She was a part of me, and now she's dead!" With that, Urania's sobbing grew louder, and nothing Jenny did or said could bring her from her grief.

Sailorastraea knelt next to them, and Sailorurania immediately switched arms to clutch at her best friend. "I'll handle this. You're needed elsewhere," Astraea told Jenny softly.

Jenny just stared at Urania wrapped in Astraea's arms. "I killed her sister. I caused this grief," she said, her eyes filling with tears. Over Urania's blue hair, Astraea caught Jenny's eyes and shook her head firmly.

"Never blame yourself. You did the right thing. If you hadn't, we'd all be dead right now." Jenny just shook her head, feeling cold and empty.

"Jenny-san?" The new voice over her shoulder was self-conscious. Jenny lifted her head to see Sailorvenus and Alexandrite. Sailorvenus was wringing her hands anxiously.

"There's someone who wants to see you," Alexandrite said.

"But you don't have to if you don't want to! No one will make you see him," Venus added hastily.

Jenny blinked. "Who?"

By Venus' downcast look, Jenny knew even before she said the name. "Lord Ahriman."

"But…he's not dead?" Jenny had felt like an ice queen after kneeling by Sera's body, but now her heart leapt back into life.

"He's not dead," Alexandrite confirmed since Venus refused to speak. "But almost. He's been asking for you. We didn't want to upset you earlier…"

Jenny didn't wait to hear more. She hopped to her feet and stood on her toes, scanning the area for him. It didn't take her long to locate him. He was lying on the concrete alone, pushed into a far corner of the construction pit. None of the senshi seemed to want to get within ten feet of him. Fighting her uneasiness, Jenny hurried over to him. His eyes were shut, but the instant she approached, his eyes flew open. He looked at her with a flicker of wonder in his eyes before smiling weakly.

"You came. I didn't dare hope you would."

His skin was ashen. There was no more strength in his voice than in a dead leaf struggling to hold onto a branch in a howling wind. Jenny knelt beside him and took his hand. She wanted to feel something, either sadness or hatred, but she was filled with an inner quiet. Instead of remembering how things between them had ultimately ended, she thought about how they began. With his golden eyes fixed on her unblinkingly, Jenny thought of him not as the dark lord he had become but as the friend she had known. The thought of him, the memories of the time they had spent together, brought tears to Jenny's eyes that lingered but would not fall.

"What did you want to tell me?" she asked. She heard his dry laugh in response.

"Look at the sky." Jenny looked. The sky was streaked with silver light that glowed and sparkled, remnants of Sailorathena's power. Jenny frowned suddenly as something clicked. Shouldn't the light be far away at his castle, his dark world? For that matter, how had they found themselves suddenly transported back to Tokyo to an abandoned construction site?

As if sensing her thoughts, Lord Ahriman laughed again. "An illusion," he explained. "Of sorts. We weren't quite in this dimension. Maybe a step and a half over. You dissolved what remained of it with your power." His voice wavered and he shut his eyes for a moment, his breathing becoming heavier and more pained. Jenny reached down and placed a soft hand against his cheek. His skin was as smooth and unmarked as Sera's had been, but clearly damage done to his insides was killing him.

At her touch, his eyelids reopened. Jenny saw a faint flicker of gold, dimmed from the brilliance that it had been. It made her sad somehow, remembering how intense his gaze had been, how beautiful. His eyes opened more fully, and Jenny saw his lips set in a determined line before he spoke again. "Sera cast a spell to fool everyone who knew the real Max Gordon into thinking I was he. I killed him and his father. You can find them beside the Minerva fountain on their grounds. Their deaths were necessary. I needed a real identity if I was going to get close to you. I'm not sorry, for their deaths brought us together."

Jenny's eyes spilled over, not only because of the news that the true Gordons had been murdered, but also because the longing in Lord Ahriman's voice was so deep and pained with what could have been. It caused an aching in her own soul.

He looked again at the sky. The silver light reflected in his golden eyes. "I was so happy today when I thought you had chosen me. I thought my long years of loneliness were finally at an end. But you fooled me. You never wanted to be with me, did you? It was all a trick to free your friends from behind the barrier." He smiled wryly, as if even he thought it had been clever.

"Your mother would have been very proud of you today," he added, his expression becoming soft, almost serene. "I loved her, Queen Celestia. She was as beautiful as you, inside and out. She defended me when no one else would. She gave me a home when everyone else would have banished me into darkness."

Jenny caught his hand and shook her head to silence him. "Don't talk," she ordered. "Don't move. Let me call Saturn and Hestia…" She was cut off by a surprisingly strong grasp from Lord Ahriman's previously lifeless fingers.

"No. It's better this way. Do you really want to revive me so I can destroy you and your friends? Look at my death as a gift to you…my last gift."

"But you wouldn't hurt us. Not now," Jenny protested. Several of her tears as she leaned over him dripped onto his cheek. He smiled, a surprisingly sweet smile for him.

"Wouldn't I? I did before. When your mother and her contemporaries fought against the Darkness so long ago and sealed away my relatives, I was kept in this dimension. Queen Celestia insisted that she would raise me as her own. She believed she could find the good in me. But there was none to discover. I was from the Darkness. It was in my nature. In the end it got the better of me. I loved your mother. I loved her so much, but I killed her when she wouldn't let me have you."

Jenny felt a jolt of shock as his golden eyes glittered up at her. "I could kill you too. Did you think of that?"

Jenny swallowed and forced herself to keep looking at him. "You wouldn't," she said, and it was only after she had spoken that she realized how sure she was of that.

Lord Ahriman sighed. "I wouldn't," he agreed. "Not you. Never you." A sudden shudder came over him and Jenny's eyes widened in alarm. She opened her mouth to call for Hesita and Saturn, but Lord Ahriman stopped her again.

"No. It's better this way, for me to be gone. You can have your life back. Just…just remember me. I don't want to be forgotten."

"I promise." Jenny gave his hands a gentle squeeze. She couldn't forget him if she tried.

Lord Ahriman still looked anxious. "Take my painting. Take it and remember me."

"I will."

He smiled then, a sad, lonely smile that Jenny couldn't return. "I never meant to hurt you."

"I know." Jenny was crying freely by that time. She bent and kissed his lips lightly, wanting him to take that one bit of her into the unknown with him. She heard his little sigh and felt his shuddering breaths still as she did so. When she pulled away, he was looking at her peacefully.

"Just remember…remember that I loved you. I truly loved you, always." With that said, his shudders continued to quiet. His eyelids drooped. Jenny put her arms around him and lay against his chest, not wanting to see his final moments, wanting him to feel her as he left. Images of the past few months floated to her. Max teaching her to dance. Max laughing and posing dramatically as she sketched him. Max listening to her, comforting her when she was upset with Nick. Lord Ahriman looking at her with naked longing in his eyes, a desperate plea for her to come to him, to save him. She remembered how lonely he had looked, how devastated when he realized she was betraying him. She had been his only ray of hope in a cold universe, and now she'd killed him, just like she'd killed Lyyli's twin sister.

The pain was intolerable. Jenny felt a terrible sadness as she leaned on him, pressing her cheek against his chest. Man, demon, monster…whatever he'd been, he had loved her as much as he was capable of loving anyone. She truly believed that.

She felt a tingling underneath her body and lifted her head in surprise to see that Lord Ahriman's still figure was glowing with a strange light. She sat back and wiped her tears as his body started to fade into the light until he was no more. "Rest well," she whispered to him as he disappeared. "Wherever you are. I won't forget you."

Jenny stared at the empty spot where Lord Ahriman had been, tears becoming cold on her cheeks. She heard someone approach and kneel behind her. Arms encircled her, and Jenny automatically leaned back against Nick. He placed his chin on her shoulder and for a few minutes they just sat there together, absorbing, thinking. He had hated Lord Ahriman more than any of them, but he didn't say a word as he held her, sharing her grief. Slowly, the other senshi began to gather around them. Among them was Sailorurania, who smiled broadly at Jenny even through tears still dotted her pale eyelashes.

"I heard my sister's voice," Urania explained, her voice happy. "She told me not to be sad, that she'd always be a part of me. Wherever she is, she's happy. I feel it." Jenny smiled back at her, grateful that Urania was trying to cheer her up, and that she didn't seem to blame her for Sera's death. Jenny wished she could have the same certainty about Lord Ahriman.

"What do we do now?" asked Sailordemeter in a small voice. The senshi looked at her and then turned to look at Jenny. Jenny blinked. It was an interesting question. What did someone do after surviving a war? How did a person go on after killing a beloved friend, even knowing that in doing so she had perhaps saved millions? It was something she would have to live with all the days of her life, a gaping hole in her heart that would never heal.

Jenny's stomach growled suddenly, insistently. She realized that it had been almost 24 hours since she had last eaten. It was a surprising reminder of life, of time moving forward even after everything she had known had changed. "I'm hungry," she said. "Do you think we can find a decent Thai place open at this hour?"

At first the senshi only stared at her, but then several of them laughed. "I think we can manage that," Pluto said.

"Once we get back into our people clothes," Venus added cheerfully. The senshi and the men drifted away to detransform, leaving Jenny on the ground encircled in Nick's arms.

"Are you going to be okay?" he asked.

Jenny disentangled herself from his embrace and turned around to look at him. His eyes were anxious as he looked at her. She caught his hand and smiled at him. "I think so."

A sliver of Nick's smile returned. "Where does this leave us? You still nauseated by me? You want to hit me? Because I'll let you do it if it'll make you feel better. Do you hate me?"

Jenny shook her head, her own smile growing in response to his. "Not for a long time. Not ever. Not really."

"That's the tragic thing about you and me. No matter how much we beat each other up, we can't help begging for more."

"So let's end it here," Jenny said. "I'm game if you are. I think we can be normal people if we try."

"But where's the fun in that?" Nick asked mischievously. His eyes flicked up to the sky, which was still painted silver from the power Jenny had gained and lost. "See ow romantic ze silver twilight eez," he continued in a purposely hideous imitation of a French accent. "You want to kiss me, no?"

"You are such a dick," Jenny said, laughing because she knew Lord Ahriman would appreciate that. Nick clutched his chest dramatically, looking wounded. Almost as abruptly, he dropped his arms and his expression became serious.

"That may be, but I do love you. Every day of my life. For two lifetimes." Jenny started to smile at him until she heard the echo of Lord Ahriman's voice in her mind, speaking similar words.

_I love you. I loved you truly, always._

"What is it?" Nick asked when Jenny's smile sank into a frown and she released his hand.

"I can't," she said gently. Seeing surprise and hurt flicker in Nick's eyes, she quickly added, "I don't mean never. Just not right now. It's too soon. Please understand."

Nick's eyes were warm as they filled with comprehension. "I've waited ten thousand years for you already, and I'd wait another ten thousand if it meant being with you."

Jenny grinned at him, feeling scores lighter. She impulsively leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. She jumped to her feet and reached down a hand to help him up. "Come on, then, friend. The others are waiting for us."

As Jenny and Nick rejoined the group, Jenny felt a slim arm move around her waist. She turned to look into Usagi's smiling face. Jenny grinned back before hugging her fiercely. "Come on," Usagi said laughingly as they pulled apart. "Let's go home. You're going to need something to wear if we're going out to eat." She seized Jenny's hand and started pulling her to the ladder their friends were using to climb out of the cement foundation. Jenny was the last to climb. At the top she turned around and looked back to where Lord Ahriman and Sera had lain. She felt the sadness hit her again.

"Goodbye," she whispered to them before turning back to Usagi and attempting a weak smile. She accepted Usagi's hand to help her up the last few rungs of the ladder.

Jenny was walking away when something made her stop. She spun around, heart racing. She had heard a voice, a voice she knew well and loved, whisper her name. But there was no golden-eyed man smiling behind her. She saw only the emptiness of the concrete pit under the night sky stained with silver dust. She sighed and shook her head, knowing she was imagining things. And yet, when she glanced up into the sky, she thought she saw two golden lights shining down from the mass of silver, almost like a pair of eyes. Jenny felt a calm settle into her chest as she looked. She opened her mouth to point out the phenomenon to the others, but before she could say a word, the golden lights disappeared, leaving only the silver twilight as it had been before.

"Something wrong?" Usagi asked with concern. Jenny turned to her, her face alight with happiness.

"No, everything is perfect."

Jenny reached for Usagi's hand, and together they walked down the sidewalk towards home.


	17. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

Familiar acts are beautiful through love.  
-Percy Bysshe Shelley

"I can't believe the year is almost over," Jenny groaned. She sat up from where she had been lounging on the wooden steps of Rei's temple and stretched. Beside her, Usagi had to duck out of the way of Jenny's flailing arms as she readjusted her position. She scooted closer to Mamoru, who automatically put an arm around her shoulders. It was a beautiful Sunday morning in early June, and Jenny, Nick, Usagi, Mamoru, Kelly, Kai, Makoto, Adiel, and Rei were reclined on the steps of the temple, taking in the beauty of the late springtime.

"Hear hear," Kelly said darkly. "It has been one hell of a year."

"But a good one," Usagi insisted. Catching Nick's amused eyes, she added, "Well, most of it."

Jenny sighed. "I just can't believe I have to go back. Seriously, after meeting you all, I have to pack up and go back to San Mantego? That'll be a blast."

"Well, I know Dirk will be looking forward to that," Nick said gravely. He laughed and fell off his step as Jenny shoved him. Usagi watched them with interest as Jenny quickly withdrew her hand and fixed her eyes on Nick as he stood and started brushing dust off his jeans. Her gaze didn't last more than a few seconds, but Usagi recognized the look. It was the same look Jenny had every time Nick came into the room. The same look Nick wore now as he settled himself beside Jenny and glanced at her. They were sitting close together, but they did not touch. There was always an inch of safety space between them, as if they were opposite poles of a magnet that physically could not come into contact.

It really irritated Usagi. It was clear to her that her two friends were crazy about each other, and that it had grown every day for the last five months. Why they were still pretending to be just friends was beyond her. She could understand Jenny not wanting to insult the memory of Lord Ahriman by immediately jumping into the arms of the man he'd hated above all others, but surely even he would have wanted her to be happy in time. And five months was a long time to play the game. Usagi had seen Nick's fingers literally twitch when he was around Jenny, as if it was taking all of his strength to hold himself back from touching her. She had seen Jenny's eyes watch Nick resentfully at times because he _wasn't_ making a move. And yet, neither of them ever said a word to each other about it.

It was beyond annoying. Mamoru had told Usagi to wait, that it was up to Jenny and Nick to decide when they were ready, but Usagi couldn't accept that. She had tried all kinds of things over the past few months, from creating situations that put them together or talking incessantly of one to the other. She and Mamoru had even taken them to see the paintings at the art museum of the four of them in the Silver Millennium. So far, Jenny and Nick had ignored her hints. It was like trying to get panda bears to mate. Usagi was about ready to give up. Soon Jenny would leave for California to complete her senior year of high school in her hometown, and Nick would continue on in Japan with his studies. If something didn't happen soon, it was possible nothing ever would.

"I can't claim that I'm exactly thrilled to leave either," Kelly was saying, her voice exceptionally dry.

"You'll visit," Makoto told her, leaving no option about it. "Or I'll have to fly to New York myself and drag you back."

"I'd like to see you try that," Kelly said, raising her eyebrows meaningfully. Makoto narrowed her eyes playfully. Their friendship had grown into a sort of friendly rivalry throughout the year that proved how close they had become.

"Well, I'm staying," Adiel said, briefly lifting her eyes from the book she had been reading. "For another year at least. Daddy hasn't been reassigned."

"That's great!" Rei cried, throwing her arm around the smaller girl's shoulders. "What would we do without you?"

"Oh, why are we talking about everyone leaving?" Usagi burst out irritably. "It's still a month off! Let's enjoy the time we spend together, not talk about goodbyes." She didn't like to think about the fact that Jenny would soon be gone from her life, at least for a time. They had grown closer over the year than she had ever suspected from their bickering at the beginning. It hurt her to think about the empty room she would have to face without her, where there would be no one to giggle with in the night, to confess her everyday worries and secrets. She had always loved Shingo, but there was something different about having a sister. Jenny was like a mirror of her own soul.

Before anyone could reply, there was a shriek from above. No one was able to move as they looked up and a pink blob fell from the sky, landing, unfortunately, on top of Kai's head. While Makoto leaned over her boyfriend with worry, the blob stood, brushed herself off, straightened her pink odangos, and looked at the group with a smile and a wave.

"Hi!" she cried cheerfully, hurrying to each member of the group and giving them big hugs. "You don't know me yet, but I love you!" she told a mystified Adiel as she threw her small arms around her neck. She went next to Usagi and Mamoru, and with a giggle she embraced them both at the same time. Usagi blinked with surprise at the sudden appearance, but she held her future daughter back with equal enthusiasm.

"This has to be Chibiusa," Nick said warmly. Chibiusa immediately pulled back from Usagi and Mamoru and leapt at Jenny and Nick much in the same way she had her parents.

"Aunt Jen! Uncle Nick!" she said cheerfully.

"Uncle Nick?" Usagi smirked at Mamoru. "If that isn't a sign about their destiny, then I don't know what is. When are they going to realize that they should be together?"

"Obviously they will, if our daughter is right," Mamoru whispered back with a smile.

Jenny was looking pleased as she pulled back from Chibiusa's embrace. "I was really looking forward to meeting you. Usagi has told us so much about you."

"I hope it's been good things." Chibiusa shot a suspicious look at Usagi who shrugged innocently. "Mama just sent me back to say 'hello.' And also to offer congratulations on defeating Lord What's-his-name. I wish I could have been there with you, but Mama wouldn't let me come. She said I'd be in the way, and I guess you managed well enough without me. It looks like you've recovered." Her red eyes swept over the group with admiration.

"Of course we have. That was months ago," Kai said as he rubbed the bump on his head where she had fallen.

"Was it?" Chibiusa looked at Usagi with narrowed eyes. "She's always forgetting dates. She thought she was sending me back to the day after the fight."

Rei burst out laughing. "That sounds like her."

"At least I didn't send her back before the battle," Usagi said defensively. "I probably just sent her far enough after the battle so she'd be…uh, safe."

"Yeah, sure you did," Jenny said, cracking up. Usagi glared at her.

"Laugh all you want. I knew what I was doing."

Chibiusa's eyes lit up again. "Oh, I almost forgot! Mama also wanted me to tell you something. Only you. Sorry," she apologized to the others. With that, she hopped off the steps and beckoned insistently at Usagi. Confused but intrigued, Usagi followed her down the path away from the temple until they were far enough from the others so they wouldn't be heard. Usagi looked at her with some apprehension.

"What is it?" she asked almost fearfully. "Is there a new Enemy coming?"

Chibiusa laughed and shook her head so hard that her hair whipped around her head. "No! The coast is clear from here until the future. You all deserve a rest. She only wanted me to tell you that it's okay. About Averill, I mean."

Usagi felt a chill as she watched her future daughter. "What do you mean?"

"What I said. She didn't say much, only to tell you that 'it' worked. Whatever 'it' is." Chibiusa glowered, obviously not happy about being left out of the secret.

"Oh." Usagi felt a wave of relief. "I'm glad. I'm so glad. Tell me about him."

"He's my brother and I love him," Chibiusa said, her eyes lighting up. "He's younger than me. He's gotten really close to Minako's daughter. I think there's something going on there, or will be. I guess it's okay to talk about him now, but Pluto warned me not to before. When I was sent here the first time, I was too scared about everything else to mention him, and then she warned me later to never talk about him, so I didn't." Her red eyes blinked up at Usagi. "I hope you aren't mad."

"No, you did the right thing. I wouldn't have understood." Usagi smiled at her. "And what about Jen-chan and Nick?"

"Oh! They're the best aunt and uncle ever. They love each other a lot."

Usagi looked back to the temple steps, where Jenny and Nick sat together, close enough to touch, yet they did not. "I know they do. I only wish they would realize that. Come on, let's go back."

Usagi led Chibiusa back with new determination. Her lips were firmly set. The pretending between Jenny and Nick had been going on for far too long. It was time someone did something about it. "All right, listen to me," she said so loudly that her friends jumped. "Jenny, Nick…up. Now. Go somewhere private. Talk."

"Usagi, what…"

"Up," Usagi commanded. With a strange look on his face, Nick reached down a hand and helped Jenny up. Slightly bemused, she followed him. After Usagi watched them disappear together in to the trees, she spun around and started to walk into the temple. Mamoru caught her hand and looked up at her, perplexed.

"Where are you going?"

"To pray. Those two need the help of all the gods combined to come together. I don't trust them to do it themselves."

0 0 0

"Sergeant Usagi," Jenny said as Nick stopped beneath a sakura tree that still had some clinging cherry blossoms. She tried to sound amused, but she could hear the wavering in her voice. Nick was still holding her hand, and she felt the flush from her fingertips all the way up to her throat. Rather than let him observe it, she released his hand and leaned back against the tree casually.

"Well, we're here. What do you think Usagi had in mind?"

"I have no idea," Nick said, even though he did. Jenny did too. She knew he had been silently laughing about Usagi's efforts the last few months to bring them together as much as she had. She turned to hide a smile. What he didn't know was how desperately Jenny wished that Usagi's plotting had worked. It had taken her little over a week after the final battle to recover from her guilt about Lord Ahriman and realize that she wanted to be with Nick, not at some vague time in the future but _now_. She had watched Nick, searching for some sign that he was as ready as she, but he had seemed perfectly content to give her the space she had requested. At least romantically. They had been together nearly every day. He had finally become the friend she had always needed him to be. Only for many months now it hadn't been enough. But Jenny had no idea how to tell him she wanted more.

Their silence had gone on way too long. "So that's Usagi's daughter," she said quickly, shifting her position against the tree so that she was no longer leaning against a protruding knot.

"Yeah." Nick snorted. "'Little Usagi' indeed."

Jenny smiled at him but there seemed to be nothing left to say. Nick put his hands in his pockets and then looked at her with a mischievous grin.

"So, have you started to pack yet?"

Jenny narrowed her eyes. "Oh, yeah. I'm thrilled to be going back. Can't you tell? I haven't spoken to my best friend in months, and everyone will no doubt jump back on the 'Let's torment Jenny' wagon. Still, your fault, by the way." When he started to protest, she smiled to let him know that she wasn't really angry.

After meeting Nick's eyes for a few seconds, Jenny abruptly dropped her gaze to the ground. Her heart was fluttering nervously, but she swallowed and forced herself to say, "I don't want to go back. I'm terrified of it, actually. Not so much because I'm worried about what will happen at school. After facing Lord Ahriman, a bunch of teenagers will be nothing. It's just…I'm afraid of being away from you. I don't know if I can do it again."

Nick had gone oddly still. He didn't speak as he looked at her, his hands still in his pockets. Discouraged slightly by his silence, Jenny hesitantly added, "I could try to wrangle another year here. You know, there's no reason I _really_ have to graduate in San Mantego."

"Don't do that," Nick said.

Jenny clamped her lips shut. She tried to keep the hurt out of her eyes. "Okay," she said slowly.

"I mean, you can do what you want. If you really want another year here, I wouldn't try to stop you. It's just that it would be a shame, especially since I'm planning to be at USC in the fall."

Jenny stared at him, not quite comprehending. "You mean…you're thinking about moving back to California? You'd do that?"

"Baby, it's done. I put in for a transfer last week. Apparently that football scholarship they offered me is still good." He smiled wryly. "Not my first choice, I admit, but if it gives me an excuse to be closer to you…"

Jenny threw her arms around him, laughing. "Oh, my God. You're only telling me this now?"

"I didn't want to say anything until it was a done deal. Although I have to admit that even if things didn't go through I was going to follow you back anyway and get a job sweeping floors at Joe's Pizza Shack. Somehow I was doubting my ability to survive another year here without you."

"I think you would survive just fine," Jenny teased. "There are a lot of cute girls in Tokyo. Dalila, too."

He looked wounded as he pulled back from her embrace. "Dalila? What is that supposed to mean?"

"Come on, Nick." Jenny gave him a look. "You don't have to pretend. I know you've been with a lot of girls, and I know she was one of them. I'm over it."

"Sure I have. I wouldn't try to lie about it. But Dalila?"

"Nick, I saw you that night on Halloween. You were kissing her. And Usagi said you used to live together. It doesn't take a genius to put together the pieces."

"Yeah, but apparently it does to understand them. We were roommates, but we were never together. The only reason I was kissing her on Halloween was because I'd been drinking and I was so messed up over seeing you that night. Obviously you didn't see the part where she shoved me away and tried to dump her drink over my head."

"But…" Jenny was confused. "Lord Ahriman said you were in love with her."

"Your faith in his words is astounding," Nick said dryly. "I love her, but I'm not _in_ love with her. She's one of my best friends." Almost embarrassed, he continued, "I'm in love with you. You should know that."

Their gazes met, and Jenny felt throb of sweet emotion for him. "But I'm not going to push," he added quickly, just as Jenny started to lift her hand to reach for him. She brought it hastily back to her thigh. "You wanted space, and I respect that. I'm going to be a gentleman."

_Screw being a gentlemen_, Jenny thought wildly. _I want you right now!_ Her fists clenched at her sides. She literally felt as if little sparks of electricity were shooting out from her body towards his, but she was unable to make the crucial move towards him.

"I probably shouldn't ask," Nick said, turning his head and looking embarrassed, "But since we're being so open here…how long was it going on with…with him?"

Jenny blinked. "How long was _what _going on with _who_?"

Nick didn't look at her. "You know what I mean."

"Wow, Nick, it's flattering that you think I'm psychic, but since I'm not, how about you give me a little help?"

Nick looked miserable. "Lord Ahr…Max. Not that I blame you, I just need to know. For myself." When Jenny still stared at him, he added, "You spent the night over there. I just…was it only that once? You know, forget it. I'm sorry I brought it up. It's none of my business."

Jenny understood his meaning in a flood of comprehension. Red splotches filled her cheeks, not of embarrassment but anger. "You think I had sex with him just because I spent that one night? Ew. God, Nick, what do you think I am?"

"You don't have to pretend," Nick said, still not looking at her. "He showed me a video of the two of you together. I told you I understand. I have no right to judge."

"Well, I'm amazed at the faith _you_ have in his words," Jenny said darkly. "The man has proven himself to be a liar on more than one occasion, and you're still taking his word over mine?"

Nick looked at her then, hope and wonder entering his eyes. "You mean…nothing happened? You never had any real feelings for him?"

"Duh," Jenny said. "And even if something had happened, it's in the past. I don't want to know about all of your, um, dalliances. I certainly don't want a head count."

"Probably wise," Nick said weakly. "Although, you should know that the only reason I went out with so many girls is that I was looking for someone to replace you in my head. None of them even came close."

If he was trying to pacify her, it worked like a charm. Jenny's scowl dropped. "There's never been anyone else for me either. Well, maybe Johnny Depp, but that's…"

Jenny broke off as Nick snorted and enfolded her again in his arms. He placed his chin on the top of her head as he said, "What are we doing? Usagi's right. We should just get this over with. We have to get together eventually."

"Oh, really? Why do you say that?"

"You missed it? That pink-haired daughter of hers called me 'Uncle Nick.' And the only way that's going to happen is if I marry her mother's sister."

"It could just be a title of affection," Jenny protested with a smile. "I call my Mom's best friend 'Aunt Tara' even though we're not related."

"That doesn't have to be the case with us." Now that the option was open, Nick's eyes were shining with anticipation of the future. Jenny smiled at his enthusiasm, feeling the same excitement well up in her chest as an irresistible throb of sweetness.

"Marry you? No, you're terrible," she teased.

"I'm not _asking_ you to marry me. Not yet."

"What are you asking, then?"

"Are you going to make me beg? Okay, fine. I love you. I need you. I can't live without you another second. Can we skip the discussion and move on to the part where we make out?"

"What about being a gentlemen?"

"Fuck it." Nick gently reached for her chin and tilted it upwards. Before she knew what was happening, he was kissing her. Jenny didn't pull away. The possibility didn't even occur to her. Jenny lost herself completely in his arms. She was unable to think as the seconds passed, only feel. By the time he moved away, Jenny was very dizzy.

"I love nothing on this earth so well as you. Is not that strange?" Nick quoted. Jenny felt her lips twist into a smile.

"I love nothing in this _world_ so well as you," she corrected. When he stared at her in dumbfounded silence, she laughed. "What? You think I can't throw around those fancy Shakespearean words like you? _Much Ado About Nothing_, right? Pretty good play. But if you insist on professing your love, please use your own words." She ended with an angry look, eyebrows drawn together in mock fury.

Nick looked at her for a moment before slowly letting out his breath. "I love you," he said wonderingly, as if realizing for the first time just how much.

Jenny choked back a laugh, a slight gurgle of happiness. "I love you, too. Oh, God, Nick, so much!" She leaned against him peacefully. It felt so natural, as if they had always been that way. She couldn't help thinking with relief that it was over. The long months of waiting, the years of not understanding each other, were at an end. They were together again, and Jenny knew that this time it would take a lot more than his father and peer pressure to break them apart. An Apocalypse, maybe, but nothing less.

For the first time in her life, Jenny felt complete bliss about her past, present and future. Life was good and she was determined to not waste a single minute of it. Not ever.

* * *

Hi everyone! Whew. Finally I can check that one off the list. _Silver Twilight_ has been a kind of elephant in the room for me for the last couple years. I was determined to finish editing it, but had either not enough time or not enough motivation, despite it being my favorite thing I wrote as a teenager. The problem was that twenty-something me saw a lot of problems with it, and I had to pretty much massacre the original draft to make it make sense. There were all these weird subplots in the original that I ended up cutting out. At one point in the original draft Jenny even suspected Dalila and Nick of having a kid together. Don't ask. _Secret Destiny_ I was able to leave pretty much as it was, but I'm glad I was able to tear _Silver Twilight_ apart, even if it took, um, awhile.

Thanks to anyone who actually stayed patient with me and stuck through to the end. I have one more story that I wrote when I was 18-19 called _Age of Innocence_. It tells the story of the Silver Millenium, and how both the Usagi/Mamoru/Averill and Jenny/Nick/Lord Ahriman triangles got started. In it, I give equal time to both. My guess is that I can whip through it a lot more quickly, so I hope you stick around to check it out! My goal is to get it out within the next few months. There's good stuff in it. I promise. :)

Thanks for reading!


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